pl_l-15-00385_nomination_staff

LAWRENCE HISTORIC RESOURCES COMMISSION

ITEM NO. 3: L-15-00385

STAFF REPORT

A. SUMMARY

L-15-00385 Public hearing for consideration of placing the structure located at 1005 Sunset Drive, the Fuller House, on the Lawrence Register of Historic Places. Adopt Resolution 2015-12, if appropriate. Submitted by Lawrence Preservation Alliance on behalf of Steven and Lynn Scannell, the property owners of record.

The public hearing for the nomination of the structure to the Lawrence Register of Historic Places will be held at 6:30 p.m., or thereafter, in the Jayhawk Room at Lawrence Fire Station No. 5 located at 1911 Stewart Avenue.

B. HISTORIC REGISTER STATUS

1005 Sunset Drive is listed in the Register of Historic Kansas Places.

C. REVIEW CONSIDERATIONS

1) History Summary

See State Register Nomination Section 8.

2) Architectural Integrity Summary

See State Register Nomination Section 7. The structure maintains integrity of location and design that make it worthy of preservation.

3) Context Description

The structure located at 1005 Sunset Drive, the Fuller House, is representative of vernacular architecture of the mid-19^th century, specifically the Gable-Front National Folk style. The house was constructed in 1863-1864 at the end of the Settlement Period (1854-1863) and the beginning of the City Building Period (1864-1873) as defined by the Historic Resources of Lawrence, Douglas County, Kansas Multiple Property Documentation Form (MPDF).

The house is sited on an odd shaped lot of approximately .38 acres. The lot was originally platted in the Hillcrest Addition of 1952. The property was re-platted in 1988 as the Doemland Addition. The existing development pattern for this area has changed significantly since the original construction of the Fuller House. The large tract of land that is described in detail in the State Register nomination has been significantly reduced in size from the original 80 acres. The current lot is approximately 132’ from east to west and 130’ from north to south.

The development pattern of the area is currently detached dwellings on individual lots. The Hillcrest Addition has lot sizes that vary from block to block. While the size of the individual lots varies, the pattern of development -- front yard, structure, rear yard-- is similar in the area.

The majority of the structures within the environs of the Fuller House were constructed in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

Located at 1045 Hilltop Drive is a large parcel owned by USD497. Currently Hilltop Elementary School is located on this site. This parcel was platted as part of the Hillcrest Addition. Hilltop elementary School was constructed in 1953.

4) Planning and Zoning Considerations

1005 Sunset Drive is zoned RS7, Single Dwelling Residential District. The primary purpose of the district is to accommodate predominantly single detached dwelling units on individual lots. The district is also intended to create, maintain and promote housing opportunities for individual households, although it does permit some non-residential uses that are compatible with residential neighborhoods. The current use of the property is a detached dwelling (single dwelling unit). This use is allowed in the RS7 district. To the north, south, east and west of the property is RS7 zoning and the uses are residential.

5) Fiscal Comments

There are no monetary benefits directly associated with nomination of a structure to the Lawrence Register of Historic Places at this time. However, Chapter 22 of the Code of the City of Lawrence does identify mechanisms for financial incentives. If these programs become available in the future, structures listed on the Lawrence Register will be eligible for participation.

Listing on the local register does help preserve built resources important to Lawrence's history and helps to maintain streetscapes in older neighborhoods through environs reviews.

The original information submitted with nominations for properties to the Lawrence Register is kept on file in the City Planning office for public review and consultation with regard to development projects within the notification area.

6) Positive/Negative Effects of the Designation

The positive effect of designation is the creation of a permanent record of the historical significance of an individual property, for its architectural quality or its association with a significant local individual or event. This provides the local Historic Resources Commission with pertinent historical data which can help to provide an ‘historic' perspective to property owners when they desire to improve, add on, or redevelop a property within an older section of the City.

The public accessibility of this information is also a resource as it can be used by realtors, builders/developers, and others in the community prior to a property's resale, redevelopment or rehabilitation. In a more general sense, this information can be used by the Chamber of Commerce and existing businesses and industries to ‘identify' one of the facets that makes up Lawrence's Quality of Living.

Additional effects of designation are the creation of an arbitrary, 250' environs notification and review area. Within this 250' circle, projects which require city permits, e.g., demolition, redevelopment, renovation or modification, require review by Historic Resources staff or the Commission. These environs reviews permit scrutiny of proposed development/redevelopment by individuals sensitive to historic preservation.

A Certificate of Appropriateness or a Certificate of Economic Hardship is required to be issued by the Historic Resources Commission before a City permit can be issued for the proposed project. If the Historic Resources Commission denies a Certificate of Appropriateness or a Certificate of Economic Hardship, the property owner can appeal to the City Commission for a new hearing. The City Commission can uphold the decision of the HRC or it can grant the proposed development over the Historic Resources Commission's action. Certificates of Appropriateness or Economic Hardship are required for a project within the 250' radius of a Local Register property.

Examples of projects which would require review and approval are: projects involving the exterior building which are considered ‘structural' changes, demolitions or partial demolitions. Minor changes which require a city permit can be administratively approved by the Historic Resources Administrator.

7) Summary of Applicable Designation Criteria

Chapter 22, of the City Code is the Conservation of Historic Resources Code for the City of Lawrence. Section 22-403 of this code establishes criteria for the evaluation of an application for nomination to the Lawrence Register of Historic Places.

D. CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION AND DESIGNATION - Section 22-403

Nine criteria are provided within this section for review and determination of qualification as a Landmark or Historic District. These criteria are set forth below with staff's recommendations as to which this application qualifies for:

(1) Its character, interest, or value as part of the development, heritage or cultural characteristics of the community, county, state, or nation;

The Fuller property is significant as an example of a large tract of land that was eventually incorporated into the city and developed over time into smaller lots and eventually a residential subdivision.

(2) Its location as a site of a significant local, county, state, or national event;

(3) Its identification with a person or persons who significantly contributed to the development of the community, county, state, or nation;

The property is associated with Ferdinand Fuller who designed the structure and was the first occupant of the structure. Fuller was an early settler with the first party of emigrants that arrived in Lawrence on August 1, 1854. Fuller was also an architect and designed “North College”.

(4) Its embodiment of distinguishing characteristics of an architectural style valuable for the study of a period, type, method of construction, or use of indigenous materials;

(5) Its identification as a work of a master builder, designer, architect, or landscape architect whose individual work has influenced the development of the community, county, state or nation;

(6) Its embodiment of elements of design, detailing, materials, or craftsmanship that render it architecturally significant;

The Fuller House is an excellent example of early vernacular architecture, specifically the Gable-End National Folk style, in Lawrence.

(7) Its embodiment of design elements that make it structurally or architecturally innovative;

(8) Its unique location or singular physical characteristics that make it an established or familiar visual feature;

(9) Its character as a particularly fine or unique example of a utilitarian structure; including, but not limited to farmhouses, gas stations, or other commercial structures, with a high level of integrity or architectural significance.

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The HISTORIC RESOURCES CODE establishes a procedure to follow in the forwarding of a recommendation to the City Commission on applications for listing on the local register.

"Following the hearing the commission shall adopt by resolution a recommendation to be submitted to the city commission for either (a) designation as a landmark or historic district; (b) not to designate as a landmark or historic district; or, (c) not to make a recommendation. The resolution shall be accompanied by a report to the city commission containing the following information:

The Historic Resources Commission needs to formulate its recommendation in response to the following subsections section 22-404.2 (b):

(1) Explanation of the significance or lack of significance of the nominated landmark or historic district as it relates to the criteria for designation as set forth in section 22-403;

(2) Explanation of the integrity or lack of integrity of the nominated landmark or historic district;

(3) In the case of a nominated landmark found to meet the criteria for designation:

(A) The significant exterior architectural features of the nominated landmark that should be protected; and,

(B) The types of construction, alteration, demolition, and removal, other than those requiring a building or demolition permit, that cannot be undertaken without obtaining a certificate of appropriateness.

(4) In the case of a nominated historic district found to meet the criteria for designation:

(A) The types of significant exterior architectural features of the structures within the nominated historic district that should be protected;

(C) A list of all key contributing, contributing and noncontributing sites, structures and objects within the historic district.

(5) Proposed design guidelines for applying the criteria for review of certificates of appropriateness to the nominated landmark or historic district.

(6) The relationship of the nominated landmark or historic district to the on-going effort of the commission to identify and nominate all potential areas and structures that meet the criteria for designation.

(7) A map showing the location of the nominated landmark or the boundaries of the nominated historic district.

E. RECOMMENDATION:

Staff recommends the Fuller House, located at 1005 Sunset Drive, for designation as a Landmark on the Lawrence Register of Historic Places pursuant to Criteria #1, #3 and#6 as described in Section 22-403.

If the Historic Resources Commission recommends this property for local nomination, the Commission should adopt a resolution for recommendation to be submitted to the City Commission for designation as a landmark. In addition to the resolution, the Commission should direct staff to prepare a report to accompany the resolution including the information set forth in Section 22-404.2(1) - (7) and the environs definition.

Staff recommends the following for the report to the City Commission:

(1) Explanation of the significance or lack of significance of the nominated landmark or historic district as it relates to the criteria for designation as set forth in section 22-403;

The Fuller House is significant for its vernacular architecture, its association with Ferdinand Fuller, and its value as part of the development of Lawrence.

(2) Explanation of the integrity or lack of integrity of the nominated landmark or historic district;

The structure maintains significant integrity of location and design that make it worthy of preservation.

(3) In the case of a nominated landmark found to meet the criteria for designation:

(A) The significant exterior architectural features of the nominated landmark that should be protected; and,

The fenestration patterns, roof form, dentils and the porch on the east side should be protected.

(B) The types of construction, alteration, demolition, and removal, other than those requiring a building or demolition permit that cannot be undertaken without obtaining a certificate of appropriateness.

Alterations to the fenestration patterns, roof form, dentils and the porch on the east side should require a Certificate of Appropriateness.

(5) Proposed design guidelines for applying the criteria for review of certificates of appropriateness to the nominated landmark or historic district.

U.S. Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation, published in 1990, and any future amendments, in addition to any criteria specified by Chapter 22 of the Code of the City of Lawrence, Kansas.

The HRC may also adopt An Analysis of the Environs for 1005 Sunset Drive and delineate how environs review will be conducted in relation to the listed property.

A primary goal of the HRC is to build a Register of properties which show the diversity and growth of Lawrence since its inception. The nomination of this property is another step toward registering a wide variety of historic properties which together present a visual history of Lawrence’s past. The goal of the Lawrence Register of Historic Places is to represent all socioeconomic strata; businesses and industries which illustrate the diversity that has been prevalent in Lawrence since its inception.

(7) A map showing the location of the nominated landmark.

See attached