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1606 - June 30 (Special Mtg.)CITY OF PRATTVILLE Historic Preservation Commission Planning Department Staff Report CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS 216 First Street – CA1606-01 DATE June 21, 2016 PROPOSED DEVLOPMENT Petitioner: Eva Jane Butler Property Owner: Same as Petitioner Agent: N/A Location: 216 First Street Review Status and History Submission Status: Second request for a Certificate of Appropriateness for this address. Previous Approvals: CA1405-01 – April 29, 2014 - Expedited approval granted for fencing Conditions of Previous Approvals: N/A 1984/2007 Historic Properties Inventory Details 216 East First Street (circa 1950, contributing): This rectangular one-story gable-roofed frame building has shingle siding and a small front stoop. Proposed Alteration, Renovation or Addition The following changes have been requested by the applicant. See the application included as Attachment A for the owner’s description of each item. 1. Add picket fence (69’) and steel-frame archway as landscaping emphasis across front of house 2. Add handrails on both sides of front steps made of pressure treated wood and painted to match structure. 3. Add single lane concrete drive which widens to 18’ to 20’ wide parking pad near the house. Page 2 of 3 PLANNING STAFF EVALUATION Reviewed by: Joel T. Duke, AICP Site Visits Conducted: June 21, 2016 Recommendation: Approve Items 1, 2, and 3 Evaluation: The requested alterations were reviewed against the standards contained in the Prattville Residential Design Review Guidelines Manual. The relevant sections of manual are included. Staff comments/evaluations are summarized at the end of each section. Item 1. Add picket fence (69’) and steel-frame archway as landscaping emphasis across front of house Fences and Walls (Page 46) Fences and walls have historically been used to define ownership or function and to separate public and private space. Historic fences and walls should be retained and maintained. New fences and walls should use design, materials, and placement that minimize their effect on the district’s historic character. 2. Wood and metal picket fences are appropriate new construction. If wooden, they should be painted using colors complementary to the adjacent house. They should be less than three feet tall, and the pickets should be set less than three inches apart and be less than four inches in width. Landscape (Page 49) Landscaping should follow historic patterns when possible. Landscaping should not damage historic buildings or other historic elements. Analysis: The applicant’s plan to add fencing and an archway in the style proposed is consistent with the guidelines. Page 3 of 3 Item 2. Add handrails on both sides of front steps made of pressure treated wood and painted to match structure. Porches (Page 27) Porches are one of the most defining characteristics of historic houses. Historic porches should be retained, maintained, and, if needed, repaired. New porches should be sympathetic to the historic appearance of building to which they are attached. 1. Historic porches visible from the street should be retained and maintained. Analysis: The Commission guidelines do not speak specifically to handrails. The handrails should be considered as a part of the broader porch. The subject structure has a relatively small porch without rails and no evidence of ever having rails. The applicant’s plans to add handrails to should be approved since they do require alterations to the porch for installation. Care should be taken to keep the rails’ height and mass from overwhelming the small stoop. Item 3. Add single lane concrete drive which widens to 18’ to 20’ wide parking pad near the house. Driveways, Sidewalks, and Walkways (Page 44) Driveways, sidewalks, and walkways are common district features. Historic examples should be retained and maintained, and new construction should follow historic examples. 1. Historic driveways, sidewalks, and walkways should be retained and maintained. 2. Driveways should be of gravel, concrete ribbons, grass and dirt, or concrete. Blacktop and asphalt driveways were not historically features of the district, and should be avoided. Driveways should be located to the side of the house. Analysis: The proposed driveway is consistent with the Commission’s guidelines. ATTACHMENTS A. Application and attachments B. Location Map CITY OF PRATTVILLE Historic Preservation Commission Planning Department Staff Report CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS 121 West Main Street – CA1606-02 DATE June 21, 2016 PROPOSED DEVLOPMENT Petitioner: Rickie Sanderson Property Owner: Rickie Sanderson Agent: N/A Location: 121 W. Main Street (Rear portion of 119 W. Main Street) Review Status and History Submission Status: Second submission for this address/building. Previous Approvals: CA1512-02 – December 2015 – Approved relocation and replacement of recessed rear door and addition of handrail for 119 W. Main Street Conditions of Previous Approvals: None 1984/2007 Historic Properties Inventory Details 119 West Main Street, Yarborough-Laney Building (circa 1960, non-contributing): This is a one-story cinderblock with a glazed aluminum front. (Source: Thomason and Associates, 2007 Inventory of Daniel Pratt Historic District) Modification to cinderblock/flat roof addition to the rear of storefront Proposed Alteration, Renovation or Addition The following changes have been requested by the applicant. See the application included as Attachment B for the owner’s description of each item. 1. Change out two existing doors on the west face of the building. Replace north door with solid metal door. Replace south door with metal door with inset panels. Page 2 of 4 2. Replace existing metal frame window and deteriorated wood casing on south wall. New window will be vinyl clad metal 6 over 6 window. Window casing similar to existing doors on west wall. Add solid shutters with two inset panels. 3. Add new doorway to south wall of building. French doors with opening cased similar to existing doorways on west wall. 4. Replace portion of east cinderblock wall with wood frame wall. Exterior of this portion will be finished with lap siding. PLANNING STAFF EVALUATION Reviewed by: Joel T. Duke, AICP Site Visits Conducted: June 20 and 21, 2016 Recommendation: Building is non-historic and non-contributing. Commission should review structure for general compatibility with guidelines and consistency with the utilitarian construction of the original building. Approve Items 1, 2, and 3 with considerations listed by staff. Request more information regarding Item 4 prior to decision. Evaluation: The requested alterations were reviewed against the standards contained in the Prattville Commercial Design Review Guidelines Manual. The relevant sections of manual are included. Staff comments/evaluation follow the relevant sections. Item 1. Change out two existing doors on the west face of the building. Replace north door with solid metal door. Replace south door with metal door with inset panels. Doors and Entrances (page 18) Doors are often buildings’ central visual elements, so are particularly important features. Historic entrances and doors should be retained, visible, maintained, and, if needed, repaired. Missing or severely deteriorated doors should be replaced with historically appropriate doors. Screen, storm, and security doors should not detract from the historic appearance of their building. 6. Clear-glass single-light painted wood doors with or without paneling are most appropriate for replacing primary doors in the district’s commercial buildings. The opening in secondary entrances may be smaller or doors may be solid wood. Dark or bronze anodized metal, though less appropriate, may be substituted for wood. 9. Security doors may be used on doors not visible from the street. Page 3 of 4 Analysis: In order to bring the non-contributing structure into building code compliance, the owner is required to adjust the existing doors to swing outward. In the process, the owner is requesting permission to replace the non-historic wood doors with metal units. Based on the applicant’s floor plan, it appears these doors will serve as necessary emergency egress points, but not as primary access. Based on guidelines, the metal units painted as proposed are acceptable. Rather than two different units, the board should request the doors be the same style to maintain a symmetrical appearance along the west wall. Item 2. Replace existing metal frame window and deteriorated wood casing on south wall. New window will be vinyl clad metal 6 over 6 window. Window casing similar to existing doors on west wall. Add solid shutters with two inset panels. Windows (Page 34) Windows are prominent building components. They help to establish the rhythm of a building or streetscape. Sometimes, particularly in industrial buildings, they are the dominant visual element of a building exterior. Historic windows should be retained, visible, maintained, and, if needed, repaired. 5. Replacement windows should be of wood to match the original. The use of vinyl or aluminum clad windows may also be appropriate if they match the original window. 6. Historic shutters should be retained and maintained. 7. Shutters should not be added unless the building historically had them and replacements replicate historic shutters, fit the window opening when closed, and are constructed of painted wood. Analysis: The existing single window in the non-contributing structure is a metal unit, framed with rough lumber and hidden from view by window bars. The applicant’s proposal to replace the existing unit with a vinyl clad metal unit and remove the bars is an improvement to the structure. The new window should be similarly framed as the existing doors on the west wall. The previous use of shutters on the building cannot determined, but probably were not present given the simple construction and time period. The shutters would not be consistent with the guidelines. If permitted, recommend changing units to simple boards without inset panels. Item 3. Add new doorway to south wall of building. French doors with opening cased similar to existing doorways on west wall. Doors and Entrances (page 18) Page 4 of 4 Doors are often buildings’ central visual elements, so are particularly important features. Historic entrances and doors should be retained, visible, maintained, and, if needed, repaired. Missing or severely deteriorated doors should be replaced with historically appropriate doors. Screen, storm, and security doors should not detract from the historic appearance of their building. 7. Clear-glass single-light painted wood doors with or without paneling are most appropriate for replacing primary doors in the district’s commercial buildings. The opening in secondary entrances may be smaller or doors may be solid wood. Dark or bronze anodized metal, though less appropriate, may be substituted for wood. Analysis: The applicant is requesting permission to create a new and larger access to the structure as it converted to an assembly occupancy. Based on guidelines, the metal units painted as proposed are acceptable. Door opening should be framed similarly to existing doorways on west wall. Item 4. Replace portion of east cinderblock wall with wood frame wall. Exterior of this portion will be finished with lap siding. Analysis: The applicant is requesting permission to remove a portion of east wall of the structure due to deterioration of the foundation and the cinderblock wall. Based on observation and applicant’s description of the deterioration, removal and a structural repair appears necessary to ensure the integrity of the building. The applicant is proposing replacement of the demolished section of the wall with wood framing rather than cinderblocks. The new wall will be covered with lap siding. Whether the siding will be wood or a Hardie type of product is not provided. Based on the submitted drawings, it is not clear how much of the wall will be removed and replaced. It is also not clear how the transition between block and siding will be finished. The Commission should request more information on whether the wall may economically be rebuilt with block and any other drawbacks to using replacement block. If the frame wall is used, the Commission should have better drawings showing the finished appearance and siding/block transition before granting approval. ATTACHMENTS A. Application and attachments B. Proposed interior layout submitted for interior buildout permit. C. Location Map D. Staff Pictures of east and south wall