Design Review Board

Oakwood/Lincoln Park Infill Housing Overlay District

4-A-24-IH

Applicant Request

1. This application will use Section 4.6 of the zoning code, the Middle Housing standards. Middle Housing review occurs separately through Planning staff; the DRB review focuses on how the project meets the Infill Housing guidelines. As proposed, the duplex meets the Middle Housing standards. Major changes to the site plan or building elevations may trigger additional review by the DRB.

2. The duplex is proposed to be set approximately 21' from the front property line. The average front setback of the 24.2,' with the adjacent property at 18' from the front property line. Middle Housing standards require a front setback of the average of the blockface, plus or minus five feet; the proposed front setback meets the Infill Housing guidelines and Section 4.6.C. The site plan includes walkways to the front sidewalk.

3. The block to receive new construction is characterized by Queen Anne cottages, Minimal Traditionals, and infill construction. The two-story, four bay duplex is proportional to the dimensions of the lot and the context of the block.

4. The proposed parking meets the Infill Housing guidelines and the Middle Housing standards, accessed from an alley and located to the rear of the house. Final site plan revisions may be necessary to meet City Engineering standards; staff could approve minor revisions to the site plan.

5. The duplex's façade, at 39' wide, is comparable in scale and width to other houses on the street; especially as it combines two units in one structure. A two-story, 41' wide single-family house was approved by the DRB across the street in December 2022. The foundation height, lower in the front and taller towards the rear, is comparable to houses on the block. The drawings accurately reflect the property's grade and how the foundation will be constructed.

6. While the proposed entry stoops are not 8' deep per the guidelines, similarly designed entry stoops have been approved for multi-unit buildings in the Infill Housing overlay. The stoops are proportionate to the facades.

7. Guidelines recommend that windows and door styles be similar to historic houses on the block, with similar proportions and positions, and similar ratio of solid to void. Overall, the proposed window design and placement is compatible with the block and the surrounding neighborhood. The design avoids large swaths of siding with no transparency. Final elevations should meet the base zoning code's requirements for transparency for duplexes.

8. The proposed roofline is similar in pitch and complexity to houses on the block.

9. Siding materials: the buildings are proposed to be clad in a lap siding, with 6" cornerboards and 4" window trim, which meets the guidelines. The stuccoed or parge-coated foundation meets the guidelines.

10. The final site plan should incorporate a native or naturalized shade tree in the front and rear yards.

Site Info

New primary structure fronting E. Woodland Ave. Two-story duplex features adjoining front-gable roofs (8/12 pitch) with a central cross-gable, an exterior of horizontal lap siding, and a stuccoed foundation. The building measures 39' wide by 42' deep and features a central projecting shed-roof massing, with 5' deep recessed entry stoops on each side. The building is proposed to be set 20'-9.25: from the front property line. Parking is located to the rear and accessed from the alley.

The façade (southeast) is four bays wide, symmetrically arranged, with a recessed single-light casement window adjoining an entry door, two bays of single-light windows on the projecting shed-roof massing, and another matching entry. The roofline features lower gable-roof massings on the central bays. Side elevations feature identical window arrangements with three bays of windows on the first floor and three on the second floor. On the rear elevation, secondary entries access a rear deck. The basement level (visible from the rear elevation due to the property's slope), provides parking via a garage door.