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Board debates variance and roof form for Fairview Street addition, requests refinements
Summary
The board discussed a proposed 14.5-by-20-foot rear addition at 3118 Fairview Street that would encroach side setbacks because of an adjacent riparian buffer; staff recommended approval with a roof-form revision but members debated whether the DRB or BZA should handle setback variances and asked for refinements to foundation skirting and materials.
Planning staff presented a proposal for a rear addition at 3118 Fairview Street that is visible from the street and constrained by a riparian buffer zone on an adjacent lot. Staff recommended approval of the certificate subject to a revision to the roof form to be more compatible with the existing house and to adjustments to skirting and siding.
Applicant Hope Tippett (Open Door Architecture) explained that topography and the riparian buffer constrained the addition’s footprint and that a shed or butterfly roof minimizes interior disruption and the need to alter existing floor levels. Board members questioned whether approving a setback variance through the Design Review Board is appropriate or whether the applicant should pursue a variance through the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA). Staff clarified the DRB can grant variances when necessary to further design guideline principles; otherwise legal hardship review is BZA’s purview.
Members also questioned skirting materials near grade and the durability of proposed wood slat cladding and asked that the foundation and skirting be revised or clarified (pressure-treated or composite, gravel at base, and potential staining). The board signaled it may support a variance given the site constraints but requested clearer documentation and revised drawings addressing skirting height, siding material, and roof detailing before final approval.
