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HomeMy WebLinkAboutExhibitA.4_FloorAreaBonus Page 1 of 3 Exhibit A.4 Floor Area Bonus Criteria Staff Findings 26.415.110.F Floor Area Bonus: 1. In selected circumstances, the HPC may grant up to five hundred (500) additional square feet of allowable floor area for projects involving designated historic properties. The potential bonus is determined by net lot area such that a 3,000-5,999 square foot lot is eligible for a maximum of a two hundred fifty (250) square foot floor area bonus, a 6,000-8,999 square foot lot is eligible for a maximum of a three hundred seventy five (375) square foot floor area bonus and a 9,000 square foot or larger lot is eligible for a maximum of a 500 square foot floor area bonus. Floor area bonuses are cumulative. More than one bonus may be approved up to the maximum amount allowed for the lot. If a property is subdivided, the maximum bonus will be based on the original lot size, though the bonus may be allocated amongst the newly created parcels to the extent permitted. On any lot where a historic property is permitted a duplex density while a non-historic property is not, the increased allowable floor area that results from the density will be deducted from the maximum bonus that the property may receive. To be considered for the bonus, it must be demonstrated that the project meets all of the following criteria: a) The historic building is the key element of the property, and the primary entry into the structure, and the addition is incorporated in a manner that maintains the visual integrity of the historic building; and b) If applicable, historically significant site and landscape features from the period of significance of the historic building are preserved; and the applicant is undertaking multiple significant restoration actions, including but not limited to, re-opening an enclosed porch, re-installing doors and windows in original openings that have been enclosed, removing paint or other nonoriginal finishes, or removing elements which are covering original materials or features; and c) The project retains a historic outbuilding, if one is present, as a free standing structure above grade; and d) The applicant is electing a preservation outcome that is a high priority for HPC, including but not limited to, creating at least two detached structures on the site, limiting the amount of above grade square footage added directly to a historic resource to no more than twice the above grade square footage of the historic resource, limiting the height of an addition to a historic resource to the height of the resource or lower, or demolishing and replacing a significantly City of Aspen Land Use Code Part 400 – Historic Preservation Page 29 incompatible non-historic addition to a historic resource with an addition that meets current guidelines. 2. Granting of additional allowable floor area is not a matter of right but is contingent upon the sole discretion of the HPC and the Commission's assessments of the merits of the proposed project and its ability to demonstrate exemplary historic preservation practices. Page 2 of 3 3. The decision to grant a floor area bonus for major development projects will occur as part of the approval of a Conceptual Development Plan, pursuant to Subsection 26.415.070.D. 4. Floor area bonuses are only available for single-family, duplex or 100% affordable housing development. A property shall receive no more than 500 square feet total. The award of a bonus is project specific. At such time that more than 40% of an addition to a historic resource that was constructed as part of a project which previously received a floor area bonus is demolished, the bonus may be retained only if the proposed redevelopment is found to meet the requirements of this Section. 5. Separate from the floor area bonus described above, on a lot that contains a historic resource, HPC may exempt wall exposed by a light well that is larger than the minimum required for egress from the calculation of subgrade floor area only if the light well is internalized such that it is entirely recessed behind the vertical plane established by the portion of the building façade(s) closest to any street(s), the light well is screened from view from the street by building walls or fences, and any addition that is made to the affected resource simultaneous or after the construction of the light well is entirely one story. LOT SIZE MAXIMUM FLOOR AREA BONUS REQUESTED FLOOR AREA BONUS 4,500 SF 250 SF 250 SF To be considered for the bonus, it must be demonstrated that the project meets all of the following criteria: MET NOT MET DOES NOT APPLY a) The historic building is the key element of the property, and the primary entry into the structure, and the addition is incorporated in a manner that maintains the visual integrity of the historic building; and b) If applicable, historically significant site and landscape features from the period of significance of the historic building are preserved; and the applicant is undertaking multiple significant restoration actions, including but not limited to, re-opening an enclosed porch, re-installing doors and windows in original openings that have been enclosed, removing paint or other nonoriginal finishes, or removing elements which are covering original materials or features; and c) The project retains a historic outbuilding, if one is present, as a free standing structure above grade; and N/A d) The applicant is electing a preservation outcome that is a high priority for HPC, including but not limited to, creating at least two detached structures on the site, limiting the amount of above grade square footage added directly to a historic resource to no more than twice the above grade square footage of the historic resource, limiting the height of an addition to a historic resource to the height of the resource or lower, or demolishing and replacing a significantly incompatible non-historic addition to a historic resource with an addition that meets current guidelines. NOT MET MET Review Criteria for 135 W. Francis Street The applicant is requesting for a 250 sf Floor Area Bonus for restoration efforts that include the removal of a detrimental addition and the reconstruction of historic building features, such as the secondary porch and rear dormer. Summary of Review Criteria for Floor Area Bonus Request 26.415.110.F - Floor Area Bonus. In selected circumstances, the HPC may grant up to five hundred (500) additional square feet of allowable floor area for projects involving designated historic properties. The potential bonus is determined by net lot area such that a 3,000-5,999 square foot lot is eligible for a maximum of a two hundred fifty (250) square foot floor area bonus, a 6,000-8,999 square foot lot is eligible for a maximum of a three hundred seventy five (375) square foot floor area bonus and a 9,000 square foot or larger lot is eligible for a maximum of a 500 square foot floor area bonus. Floor area bonuses are cumulative. MET Page 3 of 3 Staff Finding: A 4,500 s.f. landmark lot is eligible for up to a 250 s.f. floor area bonus, and the applicant requests the full bonus amount for this application. When this property was remodeled in the 1980s, an addition was added to the historic resource with a continuous roofline that extended from the historic resource. This has created a confusing condition making it difficult to distinguish the historic resource from the addition when viewed from North 1st Street. Also, during this remodel the one-story historic addition located to the east side of the property was either removed or significantly altered. The applicant proposes to remove the inappropriate addition and restore the rear of the historic resource using historic documentation. Staff supports the removal of the non-historic addition. One of the criteria for a bonus includes the restoration and preservation of important historical features and the removal of non-original finishes covering historic fabric. The restoration of the secondary porch and the chimney have been called out as features for restoration work. Staff requests a preservation plan outlining all of the proposed preservation work be accompanied by thorough research and documentation. As part of the scope for restoration, staff recommends additional research be done on the front porch entry. The plans indicate a side entry to the front door which is unusual and needs to be clarified. If it is determined through the research that there in not enough documentation or physical evidence for the features, it would not be seen as a restoration and reconstruction would not be appropriate. The applicant has included the reconstruction of the historic one-story addition as part of the scope for restoration. While the Sanborn map shows the footprint of this feature, it is difficult to know if any historic fabric remains and if there is adequate documentation for it to be restored back on the site. If no historic fabric can be detected and the reconstruction would require a lot of guess work regarding the building details, it cannot be supported as restoration. The proposed addition shows a minimal building footprint compared to the historic resource but the new addition is taller than the resource and proud of the historic resource when viewed from North 1st Street. The floor area comparisons between the new addition and the existing historic resource is not clear but in order to meet criteria D, the total above grade floor area of the new addition cannot be more than twice the total floor area of the historic resource. (Please take into account the Zoning comments related to calculating floor area.) Staff does not find the proposed addition meets the design guidelines for compatibility and recommends the applicant restudy the form and height of the new addition to better comply with the guidelines. Lastly, it is important to note that the floor area bonuses are specifically awarded to a design that is reviewed and approved by HPC. While a certain level of tolerance is acceptable, it is important that the applicant request only that which is needed for the design. Additionally, if any portion of the bonus remains unused, this amount will be forfeited as stated in the resolution for approval. Please revise the floor area bonus request to just want is needed for the execution of the design. As proposed, the application does not meet the criteria for a floor area bonus. With the recommendations to restudy the new addition and the site placement of the historic resource, staff will re-evaluate the bonus request with the restudied design.