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STAFF REPORT CONCERNING APPLICATION FOR A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS Date: 6 September 2012 Application Number: 2012-0831A Property Location: 717 Forest Avenue Architectural Style/Date/Architect or Builder: Gabled-ell/1900 Property Owner: Elizabeth McClintock Landmark or District Designation: Chapin Park Rating: Contributing DESCRIPTION OF STRUCTURE/ SITE: The house is a one and a half storey gabled -ell with an irregular foundation. The exterior walls are 6" clapboard with cornice and corner trim. The gabled roof also has two side gables trough the cornice with asphalt shingles. There is a wrap around front porch with full height square wood supports, balusters, decking and steps. The windows are 1/1 double hung with one large single pane window on the first floor. ALTERATIONS: The asphalt shingles replaced the wood shingles on the roof. There was a 4x12 addition to a first floor room on the west side in 1957. The shutters noted on the 2005 survey card have been removed. The large picture window is not original to the house. The synthetic storms are replacements as is the front storm door. APPLICATION ITEMS: A fence (ornamental steel) and a carport, DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED PROJECT: The homeowner proposes to replace her current deteriorating wood privacy back yard fence with an ornamental 6 foot steel fence with an integrated gate and lock. This fence would be located along the rear of the yard between the two neighboring fences bordering her yard. The homeowner also proposes to install a 4 foot ornamental steel fence around the perimeter of her front yard with a gate. The style of the fence will compliment the architectural style of the house. There are a number of front yard fences in the Chapin Park area that enclose the perimeter of front yards up to the sidewalk. This fence would be fabricated and installed by Custom Steel Designs who fenced the yard at 711 Forest. The homeowner would also like to build a 15'x13' car port to accommodate two cars next to their older carriage house/ one stall garage rather than modify that original structure. It would be constructed out of wood and the sloping roof covered with asphalt shingles. These structures are located at the rear of the house along the alley and are not visible from the street. Please see enclosed drawing -not to scale. Please see attached documentation. 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. Recommended New site work should be based upon actual knowledge of the past appearance of the property found in photographs, drawings and newspapers. New site work should also be appropriate to existing surrounding site elements in scale, type and appearance. Front yard areas should remain open. (See above for information regarding fences.) Trees in close proximity to a building may cause structural