Item 5: Public Hearing on Ordinance Establishing Chambers Special Area Zone

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Most of the larger houses in the ETN are designed with their large second floors within the roof volume. PROPOSED CLEAR & OBJECTIVE STANDARDS BUILDING HEIGHT: The current standard limits max. building height to 35' and the max. accessory building height to 25'. Proposed modifications: Max. height limit: 30' Max. street facing dwelling height: 30' Max. other detached dwelling height: 20' Max. accessory building height: 20' Alley-only access lot building height: 20' II MASS AND SCALE Houses in the ETN come in many shapes and sizes, but all of them appear modest from the street. The most common examples are small one or one-and-a-half story houses. Even the largest ETN houses disguise their size by having second Hoors within the roof volume and by using dormers for windows and to extend the usable area of the second Hoor. Some of these houses will remain for many years to come, but others will be upgraded in size through additions or even rebuilding on the lot. The challenge is to allow flexibility for a future generation of housing alterations and house types, while encouraging the positive qualities of the best older housing stock in the ETN. The width of buildings in the ETN falls into a narrow and consistent range. The width is a function of lot size and shape and sometimes a one-ear-width driveway to one side. On a 55' wide lot with a driveway, a 5' setback on one side and a 20' setback on the other, this would allow a 30' house. GUIDELINES · Break down building mass. Break down and vary the mass of buildings using smaller elements, including dormers, bay projections, and upper floors that are smaller in square feet than ground floors. · Step down. Minimize perceived scale of infill buildings by stepping down toward interior yards and the street.