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<br />A site plan, to scale, and elevations of the garage are needed to answer questions of 1. the garage elevation/roof <br />design, 2. exact placement/scale on site, 3. design details of how the new construction would connect to existing <br />accessory structure (if the alternate location were being considered). <br /> <br />STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES: RIVER BEND <br />I. THE ENVIRONMENT <br />B. BUILDING SITE, LANDSCAPING, & ACCESSORIES <br />Individual properties in the district are characterized by a house located near the front of each lot, <br />with a small lawn in front and a larger lawn to the rear of the property. Those properties facing the <br />river on Riverside Drive generally have sloping front lawns and flat back yards. The majority of <br />structures have been erected on a single lot. Many of the properties include a garage located at <br />the rear of the property accessed from unpaved alleys running behind the property. Most <br />properties have trees, shrubbery and/or hedges. All houses conform to the uniform set-back within <br />each block. <br />The district has a compact layout. Large homes are constructed on small lots while smaller <br />homes, such as those on Hammond Place, are constructed on narrow, deep lots. Little of the <br />backyard areas or rear first stories of these homes is visible from the thoroughfare. In <br />recognition of this, greater latitude will be allowed in the application of the adopted <br />standards in the rear of the properties, in order to accommodate the individual preferences of <br />the property owners in the treatment of those backyard areas. No approval will be necessary <br />for changes in lawn, shrubs, walkways, or semi-permanent surface changes in the rear of houses. <br />Staff approval would be required for semi-permanent surface changes in the rear of houses. Staff <br />approval would be required for semi-permanent structures such as gazebos, but not for play <br />equipment such as swing sets, sandboxes, etc. <br />Required <br />Plants, trees, fencing, walkways, private yard lights, signs (house numbers) and benches which <br />reflect the properties’ history and development shall be retained. <br />Recommended <br />New site work should be based upon actual knowledge of the past appearance of the property <br />found in photographs, drawing, and newspapers. New site work should be appropriate to <br />existing surrounding site elements in scale, type and appearance. Accessory structures such <br />as decks, gazebos, fountains, or small outbuildings should be appropriate to surrounding site <br />elements in scale type and appearance. Plant materials in close proximity to the building’s <br />historic fabric should be removed and replaced by more suitable flora as approved by the Historic <br />Preservation Commission. <br />Prohibited <br />No changes may be made to the appearance of the site by removing trees, fencing, walkways, <br />outbuildings or other site elements before evaluating their importance to the property’s history and <br />development. Front yard areas shall not be transformed into parking lots nor paved nor <br />blacktopped. Front yard areas shall not be fenced, or fences shall not extend forward beyond the <br />setback line of the property. Telephone or utility poles with high intensity overhead lights should <br />be installed so that they cannot be seen from the thoroughfare. The installation of unsightly, large <br />devices such as television satellite dishes shall not be permitted in areas where they can be views <br />from the public thoroughfare. <br />III. NEW CONSTRUCTION <br />New construction includes any new building or structure constructed within the boundaries of <br />the historic district, or any new addition to an existing building. New construction should be <br />designed considering the appearance of the other buildings in the neighborhood. New work may <br />be contemporary of may suggest motifs from the historic buildings. New construction design <br />should be clearly differentiated from the design of the historic buildings. <br />a. HEIGHT AND PROPORTION <br />The majority of structures in the district are two stories in height and are square or <br />rectangular in plan. There are a few story-and-a-half residences. The prevalent façade <br />proportions are between a 1:1 and a 1:2 height-to-width ratio. <br />Required