HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Consider the Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) request for the property located at 122 N. Loomis Street - COA 18-163.
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DEPARTMENT: Transportation, Engineering and Development
SUBMITTED BY: Gabrielle Mattingly
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
Submitted for Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) review.
BACKGROUND:
COA 18-163 is a request for the common address of 122 N. Loomis Street, hereafter referenced as “subject property”. Subject property is an approximately 10,165 square foot parcel located on the east side of Loomis Street, just north of Franklin Avenue. It is zoned R2 (Single-family and Low Density Multiple-Family Residence District) and is currently improved with a two and half story single-family home and detached garage.
Based on City record, subject property has one Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) applied for in 2001. This COA requested approval from the Historic Sites Commission (HSC) to allow for the construction of a two-story rear addition and front wrap-around porch. The COA application was approved by the HSC on August 23, 2001 (HSC #01-12).
In 2007, an Architectural and Historical Survey was conducted for the City of Naperville Historic District. This survey architecturally classified subject property as Gable Front. According to the Historic Building Design and Resource Manual, Gable Front is a substyle of a vernacular house which is a term often used to describe buildings that are generally not designed by an architect or that exhibit basic characteristics of a particular style. The survey also identified the home as being a “contributing structure”. A “contributing structure” is defined as being at least 50 years old and does not necessarily possess individual distinction, but is a historic structure with the characteristic design and details of its period. The term “contributing structure” also identifies vernacular homes to have a moderate degree of integrity, but with a common design that has no particular architectural distinction to set it apart from others of the vernacular type.
DISCUSSION:
COA Requirements
The petitioner, Kathy West, on behalf of the homeowners Brian and Rebecca Wright, has requested approval of COA 18-163 in order to demolish the current detached garage at subject property and construct a 3 car, 682 square foot detached garage in its place. The requested detached garage requires variances to the City of Naperville Municipal Code. Per Section 6-11-5:3 (Applicability of Zoning Provisions: Conditional Uses; Variances; Amendment to Zoning Title) of the Municipal Code, the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) is required to review any variances that affect properties within the historic district. The HPC must review the application to determine the effect which the proposed variance has on the historic character of the historic district, and then make a recommendation to the Planning and Zoning Commission (PZC). However, per Section 6-11-7: 3 of the Municipal Code, a COA is not required for a detached garage. Therefore, the HPC will be making a recommendation on the requested variances, but will not be making a recommendation on the style of the proposed detached garage.
Current COA Request
The proposed detached garage will be located approximately 3’ from the northern property line and will be built up to the eastern property line. It will be 21’ in height and 682 sq. ft. in size. Construction of this structure requires approval of four variances to Section 6-2-10:1 (Accessory Buildings, Structures, and Uses of Land: Location) of the Naperville Municipal Code. The variances are as follows:
• Request to reduce the required five foot (5’) interior yard setback from the northern property line to allow the garage to be placed at a setback of 3’ from the interior property line.
• Request to reduce the required five foot (5’) rear yard setback from the eastern property line to allow the garage to be placed at a setback of 0’ from the rear property line.
• Request to exceed the permitted 480 sq. ft. lot coverage in the required rear yard; the lot coverage proposed is 682 sq. ft.
• Request to exceed the maximum height requirement of 18’; the height requested is 21’.
Review of COA applications are conducted based on the compatibility with the Factors for Consideration of a Certificate of Appropriateness Application (Section 6-11-8:5; Certificate of Appropriateness Required). Based on the factors and analysis below, staff recommends approval of the variance to the 25% lot coverage and denial of the variances to the height, rear yard setback, and interior yard setback.
Factors for Consideration of a Certificate of Appropriateness Application:
5.1. Compatibility With District Character: The Commission and Zoning Administrator shall consider the compatibility of the proposed improvement with the character of the historic district in terms of scale, style, exterior features, building placement and site access, as related to the primary facade(s), in rendering a decision to grant or deny a certificate of appropriateness.
Analysis: Neighboring properties have received variances to the Naperville Municipal Code for detached accessory structures. However, these requests did not require more than 1-2 variances to the Code. Approval of 4 variances is inconsistent with the character of the historic district.
5.2. Compatibility With Architectural Style: The Commission and Zoning Administrator shall consider the compatibility of the proposed improvement with the historic architectural style of the building or structure to be modified by the certificate of appropriateness request.
Analysis: A COA review is not required for a detached garage per Section 6-11-7:3. Therefore, no recommendation on the architectural style is made.
5.3. Economic Reasonableness: The Commission and the Zoning Administrator shall consider the economic reasonableness of any recommended changes determined to be necessary to bring the application into conformity with the character of the historic district.
Analysis: Requesting the property owner to modify the current COA request to comply with the height requirement and rear yard setback, and interior side yard setback does not pose any unreasonable economic conditions. Reduction in the height will create a more cost-effective proposal and it is reasonable to request compliance with the rear yard and interior side yard setback for new construction.
5.4. Energy Conservation Effect: In making its determinations, the Commission and Zoning Administrator shall consider the effect that any recommended changes may have on energy conservation.
Analysis: Compliance with the height, rear yard setback, and interior setback requirements should not have an adverse impact on the energy efficiency of the proposed structure.
5.5. Application Of Regulations: The Commission and Zoning Administrator shall not impose specific regulations, limitations, or restrictions as to the height and bulk of buildings, or the area of yards or setbacks, or other open spaces, density of population, land use, or location of buildings designed for conditional uses except as applicable for compliance with the underlying zoning district.
5.5.1. The Commission however, may consider the height and bulk of buildings and area of yards or setbacks within the context of existing neighborhoods in making its determinations. The Commission shall be permitted to deny a certificate of appropriateness on the basis of height and bulk of buildings and the area of yards or setbacks only upon finding that the approval of such a request would be detrimental to the existing or historical character of its surrounding neighborhood. The Commission may adopt procedural rules concerning the type of information that it considers necessary to make such a finding.
5.5.2. The Commission's consideration of height and bulk of buildings and area of yards or setbacks shall not exempt the applicant from compliance with the provisions of this Title 6 <https://library.municode.com/il/naperville/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT6ZORE> (Zoning Regulations).
Analysis: The COA request is for variances to the bulk, height, and setback requirements. This request was reviewed by the City’s utility departments. Upon review, it was determined that the detached garage will be located within a utility easement and the proposed height may conflict with overhead utility lines. These variance requests are not supported by the City’s utility departments. Therefore, approval of the variances to the height, setback from the rear property line, and setback from the interior property line will be detrimental to the surrounding neighborhood.
5.6. The City's Historic Building Design and Resource Manual may be used as a resource in consideration of the above.
Analysis: The City’s Historic Building Design and Resource Manual encourages newly constructed garages to be detached.
PZC Review
Variance requests are reviewed by the PZC per the requirements in Section 6-3-6 (Variances) of the Naperville Municipal Code. This section of the code requires any recommendation by the PZC on variance requests to be predicated on the evidence that they meet the three standards outlined in section 6-3-6:2 (Variances: Standards for Variances). Upon review of each of these standards, staff is in support of two of the four requested variances. The petitioner has provided a response to these standards (see attachments). Details of staff’s response can be found below:
25% Lot Coverage Variance
Section 6-2-10:5 of the Municipal Code permits detached accessory structures to cover a maximum of 25% of the required rear yard or 480 square feet, whichever is greater. Given the lot size, a maximum of 480 square feet of detached accessory structures is permitted at subject property. The 682 square foot detached garage is located completely within the 25’ required rear yard, creating a variance from the maximum permitted 480 square feet. Currently, no driveway exists on subject property, therefore, there is no location on site to park. Staff supports the variance to the 25% lot coverage given the lack of parking areas on site.
Setback from the Northern Property Line
As mentioned above, review was conducted by the City’s utility departments and it was found that subject property currently does not have easements. Therefore, a utility easement will be requested to be located along the northern property line. This will result in the proposed garage to be located within a utility easement which is not supported by the City’s utility departments. Staff found no hardships were created by the lot for the detached garage to comply with the interior side yard setback regulation. Staff recommends that the proposed detached garage comply with the setback from the northern property line and is not in support of the requested variance.
Setback from the Eastern Property Line
The proposed detached garage will be built up to the eastern property line, creating no setback from the rear property line. Per Section 6-2-10:1 of the Municipal Code, detached accessory structures shall not be located within 5’ of any rear or interior side lot line. Representatives from the City of Naperville Electric Department stated concerns with the location of the detached garage given that it may be located in a rear yard public utilities easement. Staff concurs with the Electric Department and does not support the encroachment into the 5’ rear yard setback.
Height Variance
The proposal calls for a detached garage that is 21’ in height. This proposed height may conflict with overhead utility lines, which is not supported by the City’s utility departments. Staff found no hardships were created by the lot for the detached garage to comply with the height requirement and is not in support of the requested variance.
Key Takeaways
• The petitioner is requesting approval of COA #18-163 in order to construct a detached garage at 122 N. Loomis Street.
• Staff supports and recommends approval of the following to the HPC: Recommend approval of a variance from Section 6-2-10 (Accessory Buildings, Structures, and Uses of Land) of the Naperville Municipal Code in order to exceed the 25% lot coverage in the required rear yard to allow for construction of a detached garage for the property.
• Staff recommends denial of the following: Recommend denial of variances from Section 6-2-10 (Accessory Buildings, Structures, and Uses of Land) of the Naperville Municipal Code in order to: reduce the 5’ setback requirement from the northern and eastern property lines and exceed the 18’ maximum height for accessory structures to allow for construction of a detached garage for the property.
• The City’s Utility departments are not in support of the variances for height and setback from the rear and interior property lines.