HPC201400074, 994 Alpharetta St., Diesel Pizza & Pub
Item Summary:
Storage shed on right side of building
Staff Report:
UPDATE (new information is italicized):
February 12, 2014: After discussions with the HPC at the February 12, 2014 hearing, the applicant chose to defer the application so that he could provide some options to mitigate the impact of the shed on the historic building and surrounding district. The application was deferred to the March 12, 2014 HPC hearing.
March 12, 2014: The application requested a deferral from the March 12, 2014 HPC hearing because he was not ready with all of the alternatives for the shed.
March 31, 2014: The applicant has submitted three options to help mitigate the impact of the shed on the historic building and surrounding district. Option 1 is to install a fence in front of the shed. Option 2 includes creating a flat roof look on the shed which would match the roof line on the main structure. A small fence would also be installed between the building and the shed. Option 3 is the same as option 2, however, this option includes painting the shed white. Staff feels that these options do not do enough to minimize the impact of the shed. Staff recommends denial of the application.
Staff Recommendation
Staff recommends denial of the application.
Issue
The applicant is requesting after-the-fact approval for a 10'x10'x8' storage shed, located on the north side of the building. The applicant is willing to stain the shed and add landscaping to minimize the impact of the shed.
History
The primary structure located at 994 Alpharetta Street was constructed in 1948 according to the Fulton County Tax Digest and is classified as "Historic" on the Historic Properties Map.
Diesel Pizza occupies a one-story, Art Moderne gas station of brick and concrete block construction with large store front windows and a central ornamented brick tower. Two garage doors are located on the front façade of the building, and two 16-pane fixed windows are located on the north side of the building.
Minor applications have been approved in the past for items such as the addition of a walk-in cooler with a shed awning and a small storage shed. Few exterior changes were made during the conversion from an auto repair facility to restaurant.
This project was required to go before the Board of Zoning Appeals for a variance to Chapter 10.4 (c) - "Accessory Structures and Uses" of the Roswell Zoning Ordinance to reduce the required accessory structure setback from 10 feet to 2 feet for a utility shed. The BZA granted the variance in December of 2013.
Analysis
The proposed shed is not compatible to the Art Moderne building at 994 Alpharetta Street. The design of the shed is not appropriate with the barn style doors and it is also not proportional as the gable is too short for the height of the structure. Its overall scale is too large for the abutting historic building. The shed distracts from the preserved gas station and the surrounding historic district. While staining the structure darker and landscaping around it will lessen the impact to the historic building, it will not change the design and massing issues. Staff believes a more appropriate shed should be proposed.
Department Comments
This application was routed as part of its BZA application. Steve Kinnaird, Chief Building Official for Roswell, is requiring the building to be fire rated.
Materials
Aerial
Letter of Intent
Current Photographs
Stain Chart
Site Plan
Courtney Lankford, Planner II
Presented by:
Courtney Lankford, Planner II