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Historic zoning panel requires replacement chimneys at Gratt Street house but allows front door to remain
Summary
After extensive public testimony and neighborhood input, the Knoxville Historic Zoning Commission denied the after‑the‑fact chimney removals at 1112 Gratt Street and directed reconstruction to match original size and masonry or similar neighborhood examples; the commission removed staff language recommending denial of the installed front door.
The Knoxville Historic Zoning Commission on May 15 ordered the reconstruction of two chimneys removed without prior approval at 1112 Gratt Street and left the house’s newly exposed front door in place.
Staff had recommended denying the after‑the‑fact chimney removals and rejecting the recently installed flat front door, saying chimneys are character‑defining features that should be repaired or reconstructed to match originals or similar houses in the 4th & Gill neighborhood. Lindsay, the commission’s staff presenter, said the application included chimney removal and front‑door replacement and that staff’s recommendation called for masonry reconstructions with detailed drawings to be submitted to staff for review.
The property owner, Dawn Erian, told the commission she believed the chimneys were not original and that an alteration permit had been submitted; she also said the front door is original to the house and had been retained under a storm door. "This is the original door, and I would hope that I would not be forced to remove the original door that has been with this home since 1920," Erian said, adding she would pursue an economic‑hardship appeal if reconstruction were mandated.
Aaron Streeter, the 4th & Gill neighborhood representative, told the commission the neighborhood supported staff’s recommendation on chimney removal. "The Secretary of the Interior Standards and the Neighborhood Design Guidelines are very clear that chimneys are a character‑defining feature of houses," Streeter said, urging consistent application of the design guidelines.
Commissioners debated options including rebuilding full masonry chimneys, constructing a framed veneer chimney visible only above the roofline, or allowing masonry veneer as an acceptable, less costly compromise. After deliberation the commission adopted staff’s chimney recommendation but deleted the sentence recommending denial of the installed front door. The motion—moved as a modification to staff language—passed unanimously; the commissioners recorded as voting yes were Commissioner Blackburn, Commissioner Kessler, Commissioner Herns, Commissioner Closs, Commissioner Randazzo and Commissioner Tillman.
Under the commission’s decision, the applicant must submit detailed drawings showing chimney size and masonry design that reflect the originals or similar houses in the neighborhood for staff review. The commission noted that, based on the discussion, acceptable approaches could include operable masonry chimneys or a reconstruction using brick veneer on a framed core, with final details reviewed by staff.
The applicant and staff also discussed enforcement and permitting history: permitting staff said an initial over‑the‑counter interior approval occurred in June 2024, a stop‑work notice followed inspection in August 2024 when exterior work was observed, and a change‑of‑permit request in September 2024 that sought trenching/roofing and chimney work was denied; the commission emphasized the importance of following the sequence of permitting and COA review.
The commission’s action focuses on preserving visible, character‑defining features while allowing some flexibility in materials and detailing so long as the final design aligns with neighborhood context and is approved by staff.
