Applicant is proposing to construct a two story house on an interior lot that is currently vacant. At the time of the 1992 Survey there was no structure located on this lot, and Staff does not have information on what, if any previous structure may have been located there. 

This is a vacant lot that shares a mailing address with the structure located on 100 S Austin street, but is in fact its own lot. There was no structure here at the time of the 1992 Survey, and Staff does not have information on what, if any previous structure may have been located there. 

Chapter 2 of the Guidelines covers new buildings, and for Residential Buildings, the following guidance is provided:

PRIMARY RESIDENTIAL Primary residential buildings and their accessory structures shall maintain, not disrupt, the existing pattern of surrounding historic buildings along the street in both rhythm & proportions by being similar in the following attributes:

1. Shape. Variations of asymmetrical, rectangular, and square forms are most appropriate for the locally designated districts.
   • The predominate shape is rectangular, with two rectangles, the majority of the home in the larger rectangle and the garage in the smaller  rectangle that juts out toward the alley. 
2. Scale. (HEIGHT AND WIDTH) New construction shall not vary more than one-half story from the predominate building height typical of dwellings along a block. In most blocks of the designated districts this would require new construction to be no more than two-and-one-half stories.
   • The buildings on this block are generally one story in height, all though the neighboring structure has a larger attic toward the rear of the house. The proposed structure is two stories. 
3. Orientation to the Street. All dwellings should have an entry porch on the front. Most dwellings in Buda’s locally designated district have their primary facades and main entrances oriented towards the street and this characteristic should be maintained in any new construction.
   • The proposed structure will front on Austin Street and have a porch facing Austin Street, however the front door itself will face the side property line. 
4. Placement on the Lot. Front and side yard setbacks shall respect the setbacks found along the block on which the building is sited. New building setbacks should be reflective of the existing pattern of development.
   • The building is proposed to be centered on the lot, and generally in line with the structures on either side. 
5. Roof Shape & Pitch. Roof slope ratio for new construction shall be in compliance with the approved historic nature of the overall design of the building. Roof forms of gable and hipped variations are more common on most blocks than roof forms which are flat, mansard, or gambrel forms.
   • A front gable is proposed with a roof pitch of 4:12, both of the adjacent homes have similar gables on the front of the property. 
6. Location & Proportion of Porches, Entrances, and Divisional Bays. Porches should have roof forms of gable, hipped or shed design and at least cover the entrance. Porches extending partially or fully across the front of the building are recommended. Porches should have columns and railings with balusters that are traditional in design and compatible with the overall character of the building.
   • The proposed 1st floor porch at the front of the house is located underneath a second floor covered porch, which has a shed roof.  The rear porch is proposed with a hip roof. 
7. Location & Proportion of Windows. New window openings should be rectangular in shape. Window proportions on the main façade should not exceed three-to-one in the height/width ratio or be any less than two-to-one in the height/width ratio (two-to-one proportions are preferred). Special window types (oriel, bay, stained, beveled glass) may be considered when compatible with the new structure’s design as well as the surrounding area.
   • Street facing windows on the first and second story, as well as all 1st story windows are proposed with a 2:1 height to width ratio. Some second story windows are proposed with less than a 2:1 ratio, 2 on the side and two on the rear. Additionally, there is a small horizontal window at the second story bathroom facing the rear.  
8. Foundation Height. Height of foundations should generally be similar to foundation heights in the area. Foundation heights can increase along the sides or at the rear of a building if necessary to follow slope contours. Slab foundations and at-grade foundations should be discouraged on the fronts or readily visible sides of buildings, although they may acceptable with certain architectural styles or with certain finish treatments.
   • The proposed foundation height is 12 inches, the homes on either side appear to have foundation heights between 12 and 14 inches at the front. A slab foundation is proposed. 
9. Porch Height & Depth. Porch heights and depths should be consistent with those of adjacent dwellings.
   • The porch is approximately 8 feet in depth. The house to the right has an approximately 7.5 foot deep porch, and the houses to the left have porches that are approximately 4-5 feet deep. 
10. Material & Material Color.
    1. Foundations: Most historic dwelling foundations are of stone or cast concrete and new construction should continue the appearance of these foundation materials. Poured concrete, concrete block, and split faced concrete are acceptable foundation materials within proper context and with appropriate finishes. Stucco or other finishes are recommended to provide a textured surface.
       • Applicant is proposing a stucco finish on a concrete foundation. 
    2. Brick Dwellings: In the new construction is of brick, the brick should closely match typical mortar and brick color tones found in the locally designated districts and along the block. White or light mortars provide too much contrast with typical dark brick colors and should be avoided.
       • No brick is proposed
    3. Frame Dwellings: If the new construction is of frame, the preferred exterior material is wood or a material which is similar to original materials in the area like clapboard, shingle, stucco, etc. The use of masonite, fiber-cement siding, aluminum or vinyl siding, or similar materials is acceptable if it meets size recommendations and proper construction detailing of traditional siding materials. If wood siding is used, then its exposure should reflect the exposure of traditional wood siding.
       • Framed structure is proposed, with a cementitious fiberboard in a 5-1/4" to be as similar as possible to existing homes.  
    4. Windows: Wood construction is preferred for windows. However, the use of vinyl clad or aluminum clad windows are also acceptable as long as they are sized to be compatible with historic window openings. The use of dark tinted windows, reflective glass and coatings for windows is discouraged on readily visible sides of buildings.
       • Proposed windows are a hybrid with wood with vinyl cladding.  
11.  Details & Texture. The details and textures of building materials should be applied in a manner consistent with traditional construction methods and compatible with surrounding structures.
    • While generally consistent with surrounding structures, there are fewer windows on the sides of the building visible from the street than typical for the structures in this area. Additionally, while it is not uncommon in the district to have the front door face the side lot line, when that condition exists it is common to have windows facing the street where a door might otherwise be located. In this case, the area where a door or windows might be located is in front of an interior closet, making windows awkward. 
12. Contemporary Design. Contemporary design with creative use of historical precedent will be considered on a case by case basis.
    • There are some contemporary elements on this proposed structure, but in general it is a more traditional design. 

None anticipated

The Commission may vote to:

• Approve
• Approve with conditions
• Deny
• Table