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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1. 535 Riverside_COA 2018-0607_PACKETSTAFF REPORT CONCERNING APPLICATION FOR A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS Date: July 9, 2018 Application Number: 2018-0607 Property Location: 535 Riverside Drive Architectural Style/Date/Architect or Builder: Free Classic / 1910 Property Owner: Tom Anderson Landmark or District Designation: River Bend Local Historic District (#8308-92) Rating: Contributing DESCRIPTION OF STRUCTURE/SITE: This is a two-story house with a rusticated concrete block foundation. The walls have clapboard vinyl siding. The hipped roof with gabled dormers on the north and east sides is covered with asphalt shingles. The porch has a concrete foundation and steps with iron railing and supports with a hipped roof. The windows are 1/1 double hung with aluminum storms and an oval window on the front façade and fixed single pane windows on the first story north and south side of the house. There is a one story hipped-roof enclose rear porch. ALTERATIONS: The porch railing and supports are replacements; the shutters, vinyl siding and aluminum storms are not original to the house. There are vinyl replacement windows. COA 2003-0912 allowed for re-roofing and the installation of gutters and downspouts. COA 2013-0603 allowed for 1) the removal and replacement of the enclosed back porch with a new addition, 2) removal of the current fencing to be replaced with 6’ lattice-topped vinyl fencing along the rear north side of the property. RME 2018-0326A allowed for the replacement of the gutters and metal wrap on the front porch, fascia, and eaves. APPLICATION ITEMS: “Replace fence gate and fence sections damaged and remove old chain link fence.” DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED PROJECT: Applicant seeks a Certificate of Appropriateness for improvements on the structure including: 1. Installation of fence sections on the north side of the property, as well as a gate at the northwest side of the property by the existing garage. 2. Removal of existing chain link fence portions. COA #2013-0603 allowed for the removal and replacement of the existing fence with 6’ lattice top vinyl fencing along the rear north side of property. SITE VISIT REPORT: N/A STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES: River Bend Local Historic District Standards and Guidelines I. THE ENVIRONMENT A. IN THE DISTRICT ENVIRONMENT The district is characterized by its proximity to downtown South Bend and its location adjacent to Leeper Park and along the St. Joseph River. The district encompasses: two blocks of Riverside Drive beginning at Marion Street (from 503 Riverside Drive north) and ending at Bartlett Street; two lots on the north side of Navarre street just west of the alley behind Riverside Drive; the north side of Hammond Place; the east side of St. Joseph Street between Hammond Place and Bartlett Street; and the south side of Bartlett Street between St. Joseph and Riverside Drive. The District contains 45 residences and their adjacent outbuildings. Required Distinctive existing features such as parks, gardens, streetlights, fences, signs, walkways, streets, alleys and building setbacks shall be retained. New plant materials, fencing, walkways, streetlights, signs and benches shall be compatible with the character of the neighborhood in size, scale, material and color. Street lighting should be maintained at levels recommended by the Illumination Engineering Society. Sources and light posts should be uniform throughout the District. Lamp fixtures and supporting posts must be similar in proportion, scale and detail to existing historic lamps (see appendix). Streetlights should be placed so that adequate illumination is afforded all sections of the public sidewalks. Removal of shade trees over twelve inches (12”) diameter, conifer trees over six inches (6”) in diameter or other major plant elements shall be subject to approval by the Historic Preservation Commission. Any subsequent replacement trees of any size required by the Historic Preservation Commission shall be retained. The Riverfront character of the district shall be retained. B. BUILDING SITE, LANDSCAPING, & ACCESSORIES Individual properties in the district are characterized by a house located near the front of each lot, with a small lawn in front and a larger lawn to the rear of the property. Those properties facing the river on Riverside Drive generally have sloping front lawns and flat back yards. The majority of structures have been erected on a single lot. Many of the properties include a garage located at the rear of the property accessed from unpaved alleys running behind the property. Most properties have trees, shrubbery and/or hedges. All houses conform to the uniform set-back within each block. The district has a compact layout. Large homes are constructed on small lots while smaller homes, such as those on Hammond Place, are constructed on narrow, deep lots. Little of the backyard areas or rear first stories of these homes is visible from the thoroughfare. In recognition of this, greater latitude will be allowed in the application of the adopted standards in the rear of the properties, in order to accommodate the individual preferences of the property owners in the treatment of these backyard areas. No approval will be necessary for changes in lawn, shrubs, walkways or semi-permanent surface changes in the rear of houses. Staff approval would be required for semi-permanent structures such as gazebos, but not for play equipment such as swing sets, sand-boxes, etc. Required Plants, trees, fencing, walkways, private yard lights, signs (house numbers) and benches which reflect the properties’ history and development shall be retained. 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 be appropriate to existing surrounding site elements in scale, type and appearance. Accessory structures such as decks, gazebos, fountains, or small outbuildings should be appropriate to surrounding site elements in scale, type and appearance. Plant materials in close proximity to the buildings and which are causing deterioration to the building’s historic fabric should be removed and replaced by more suitable flora as approved by the Historic Preservation Commission. Prohibited No changes may be made to the appearance of the site by removing trees, fencing, walkways, outbuildings or other site elements before evaluating their importance to the property’s history and development. Front yard areas shall not be transformed into parking lots nor paved nor blacktopped. Front yard areas shall not be fenced, or fences shall not extend forward beyond the setback line of the property. Telephone or utility poles with high intensity overhead lights should be installed so that they cannot be seen from the thoroughfare. The installation of unsightly, large devices such as television satellite dishes shall not be permitted in areas where they can be viewed from the public thoroughfare. STAFF RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends approval of the proposed fence. Written by Adam Toering Historic Preservation Specialist Approved by Elicia Feasel Historic Preservation Administrator Site Visit – Photos Figure 1 -- 535 Riverside, from the street. Figure 2 – 535 Riverside Drive – the rear of the property, looking alongside the garage. Gate will be in this area. Figure 3 – 535 Riverside Drive – approximate location of the proposed gate.