Agenda Date: March 20, 2017
Subject:
Title
Resolution recommending adoption of Louthan Heights Historic District Design Guidelines
Body
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Presented By: |
Dennis Swain, Senior Planner |
POLICY QUESTION:
Does the historical preservation board recommend adoption of the Louthan Heights Historic District Design Guidelines?
BACKGROUND:
Noted for its architectural significance and its contribution to the city’s cultural heritage, the 17-house Louthan Heights Historic District, in the 5600 block of South Louthan Street, has a concentration of Craftsman-style houses. Craftsman elements - such as broad porches, clipped gable roofs with overhanging eaves, and exposed rafters - characterize the houses in the district. Thirteen of the seventeen houses have a distinctive pebble dash stucco exterior, with the stucco on each house having a pebble stone distinct from those used on the other 12 houses with a pebble stone stucco exterior.
The adoption of design guidelines for the Louthan Heights Historic District will meet a critical, and long awaited, need for consistency, predictability, and creativity in design development and review. It will also provide the specificity of direction needed to address conditions that are unique to the district. The neighborhood has asked for design guidelines since the formation of the district in 2002, the True Grit program recommended their development, and HPB’s subsequent annual work programs have included them. In response to this need, the city applied for and was awarded a State of Colorado Certified Local Government (CLG) grant to develop design guidelines for the Louthan Heights Historic District.
The grant allowed the city to hire Melanie Short and Abigail Christman, both with Kore Architects, to develop the guidelines. Melanie and Abigail, both of whom have extensive backgrounds in historic preservation, worked with the neighborhood and city staff to craft design guidelines unique to the district. The consultants met with the neighbors early, sent the neighbors the draft guidelines, asked for comments and corrections, and made changes per the neighbors’ suggestions. Similarly, the neighbors were active participants in the process and have provided comments on the current draft of the guidelines. Their comments are included with draft provided with this staff communication.
In developing the guidelines, the consultants built upon other work done for the city with assistance from the Colorado State Historic Fund, including the 2000-2001 Historic Buildings Survey, which includes surveys for each of the houses in the district. The format of the guidelines has been tailored to the needs and desires of the neighborhood, while remaining consistent with that of the city's other design standards and guidelines.
Per city code, Section 4-6-6(E), the historical preservation board will make recommendations to the planning commission on design guidelines for historic districts and historic landmarks and, Section 2-9-1(D), the planning commission may make and adopt such design guidelines it deems necessary to guide development within the city. Each body will hold a public hearing on the guidelines, with the historical preservation board making a recommendation to the planning commission, which has the authority to adopt them.
As an initial step in the review process, the draft guidelines were posted on the LittletonPlans.org website. The draft guidelines were then presented to the historical preservation board and the Louthan neighbors at the board’s October 17 meeting. The board asked the neighbors to review the guidelines one more time, which they did. Their comments are included in the “track change” copy of the design guidelines included in your packet. Also included in the packet is compilation of comments from the neighbors and from the November 14 Historical Preservation Board / Planning Commission joint study session.
STAFF ANALYSIS:
The development and adoption of design guidelines are consistent with and help implement the vision, goals, and policies of both the Citywide Plan and the Progress Park Neighborhood Plan.
Citywide Plan
The development and adoption of design guidelines are consistent with and help implement the vision, goals, and policies of the Citywide Plan.
The following selected sections of the Citywide Vision, Goals, and Policies, and Transformative Actions speak to the benefits of historic preservation, the desire to direct change, and to raise the bar on the quality of development.
Citywide Plan
Vision for the Future of Littleton
Littleton will:
• Respect and build upon its history
• Foster its small-town, family-friendly character
• Manage and direct change
• Strive for sustainability in economic, environmental, and social decisions
• Raise the bar to increase the quality of community and economic development
Citywide Plan
Part I: Goals and Policies
Goal 4: A Distinctive Littleton
Maintain and expand upon the characteristics that make Littleton an authentic and distinctive community.
A Distinctive Littleton - Policies
4.1. Build upon the assets that are unique to Littleton, such as the Platte River and its adjoining natural areas and Littleton's history, schools, neighborhoods, cultural facilities, and public image.
4.2. Encourage preservation of historic structures, districts, and places that are significant to Littleton history.
4.3. Encourage high quality design, architecture, landscape architecture, and public art throughout Littleton.
4.4. Encourage “architecture of place” and small, independent businesses that differentiate Littleton from nearby municipalities.
Citywide Plan
Part II: Transformative Actions
Transformative Action 3: Direct Littleton’s Growth
3.1 Implement the Vision and Goals of this plan by reviewing all of the city's land-related regulations and programs for their ability to implement the plan, and revise the regulations and programs to that end.
Progress Park Neighborhood Plan
The development and adoption of design guidelines are also consistent with and help implement the goal and policies of the Progress Park Neighborhood Plan.
The Louthan Heights Historic District lies on the west end of the Progress Park Neighborhood, which is bounded on the south by Littleton Boulevard, on the west by the railroad depression, and on the north and east by the city limits. The following selected sections of the Progress Park Neighborhood Goals and Policies speak to the desire to preserve the existing character of the neighborhood.
PROGRESS PARK NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN
Neighborhood Goals
Goal 1: Preserve the existing character of the neighborhood as much as possible, preserving especially the single-family home areas.
Progress Park Neighborhood Plan
Neighborhood Policies
Land Use
Policy 1: The Progress Park residents desire to preserve the low-density residential character of their neighborhood.
Zoning
Zoning directs land uses and the details of how those land uses are configured on a site. Design guidelines have no impact on land uses; e.g., whether a property is used for a residential or commercial use. In order to preserve the character of historic structures and districts, design guidelines may include recommendations that are more conservative than would be allowed by the underlying zoning. For example, if the minimum open space requirement in the underlying zone district is 10% of the site, but the historic character of the district includes smaller houses on larger lots, then maintaining a higher percentage of open space might be an essential recommendation of the design guidelines.
Below is a table that, in the left two columns, shows the key provisions of the R-3 zoning district in which the Louthan Heights Historic District is located. In the right column, the table shows the relationship of the design guidelines to that zoning provision.
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(A) ALLOWED LAND USES |
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Permitted Uses |
Single-Family Residential |
NA - The guidelines do not address land use. |
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Accessory Uses |
Max. Size: 120 sf Ht:. 8 ft. Location - See the box below this table |
On pages 52-54 the guidelines address compatibility of scale and the general location of garages and sheds. The guidelines may be slightly more restrictive with these two items than the zoning, although the intent is generally the same. |
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Use Allowed with PDO |
2-3 Family Dwelling Townhouse |
The guidelines do not address density. Because this is a historic district, houses cannot be scraped for new construction, but it might be possible to convert a single-family house to two units. On pages 55-57, the guidelines address expansions and additions and may be more restrictive than the zoning, although the intent is generally the same. |
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(C) §10-44 ACCESSORY USES AND STRUCTURES |
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(A) Accessory Uses Permitted: |
NA - The guidelines do not address land use |
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(B) Limitations on Accessory Uses |
NA - The guidelines do not address land use |
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(C) Minimum Setbacks for Accessory Structures |
On pages 52-54, the guidelines address the compatibility of the general location of garages and other accessory structures. The guidelines might be slightly more restrictive with these two items than the zoning, although the intent is generally the same. |
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(D) Maximum Size for Accessory Structures |
On pages 52-54, the guidelines address the compatibility of the general location of garages and other accessory structures. The guidelines might be slightly more restrictive with these two items than the zoning, although the intent is generally the same. |
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(E) Maximum Height for Accessory Structures |
On pages 52-54, the guidelines address the compatibility of the general location of garages and other accessory structures. The guidelines might be slightly more restrictive with these two items than the zoning, although the intent is generally the same. |
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Below are the minimum setbacks for accessory structures in the R-3 zone district. The Louthan Heights Historic District Design Guidelines address compatibility of the general location of garages and sheds, but do not provide specific distances. The guidelines may be slightly more restrictive with these two items than the zoning, although the intent is generally the same. In no case, are the design guidelines less restrictive than the zoning.
Minimum Setbacks for Accessory Structures in the R-3 Zone Districts
Minimum setbacks for accessory structures in the A-1, R-S, R-L, R-E, R-1, R-2, R-3, R-3X, R-4, R-5 districts, and for residential structures only in the T and CA zone districts, are as follows:
1. Front Yard: No accessory structure shall be placed in the front yard of any lot.
2. Rear Yard: Except as provided in subsections (C)4 and (C)6 of this section:
(a) Adjacent to an alley: Ten feet (10'); or
(b) Not adjacent to an alley: 2.5 feet.
3. Side Yard: Except as provided in subsection (C)6 of this section:
(a) Along interior lot line: Five feet (5'); or
(b) Corner lot along street: 12.5 feet.
4. Garages: Garages must be set back from the street or alley so that a driveway length of twenty feet (20') can be achieved when there is a direct access into the garage
The Louthan Heights Historic District Design Guidelines were developed by historic preservationists, Melanie Short and Abigail Christman, who are experts in the field. They worked with the city staff and the Louthan neighbors, who provided invaluable insight into the preservation issues they face and what they hope the design guidelines will help achieve. The guidelines were developed to reflect the unique conditions in the district, while also following the Secretary of the Interiors Standards for Rehabilitation, and the city’s other design guidelines. The design guidelines have been reviewed in public hearing and revised to incorporate changes agreed to by the Historical Preservation Board at the public hearin
STAFF RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of the resolution recommending planning commission adopt the Louthan Heights Historic District Design Guidelines.
PROPOSED MOTION:
Proposed Motion
I move to approve HPB Resolution 03-2016 recommending planning commission adopt the Louthan Heights Historic District Design Guidelines.