18.140.040 Residential structures | Talent Municipal Code

18.140.040 Residential structures.

Historically, the Old Town area contained both commercial and residential structures, often intermixed on the same block. Today, many of the city’s oldest residential structures remain as private dwellings while others have been converted to professional office or other commercial uses. The following standards are intended to reinforce the traditional mixed architectural character of the district and apply equally to all residential designs, including those now used for other commercial purposes, such as professional offices, restaurants, antique stores, and other similar uses.

A. Residential Standard (A) – Volume and Mass. Historically, residential architecture in the Old Town core was composed of multiple volumes, with extended porches, intersecting roof lines, dormers, and other features creating a complex whole rather than a single large volume. To maintain that traditional visual character, the following standards apply:

1. Verticality. Buildings shall have a generally vertical character or are composed of a primary vertical element surrounded by more horizontally aligned wings.

2. Complexity. Single large volumes are prohibited. Total area shall be contained within a minimum of two intersecting volumes as seen from the street, of which the garage is not foremost (as illustrated in Figure 18.140.040). A separate porch roof meets the requirement.

Figure 18.140.040-1. Illustration of “complexity” as per TMC 18.140.040(A)(2)

3. Height. No building may be greater than two and one-half stories or 35 feet in overall height (measured to tallest ridge or coping point). Major roof ridges shall be no lower than 16 feet in height. (Note: this lower limit is designed to encourage steeper gables as opposed to low-pitched roof forms.)

4. Context. This standard regulates the massing of new structures relative to their surroundings. The objective is to establish similar “street presence” by adjusting setbacks and coverage to better resemble neighboring structures. The context standards follow:

a. Front Setback. New residential structures will have the same front setback as the average of the front setbacks of existing structures on same side of the street within the same block or 200 feet, whichever is less.

b. Side Setback. The side setbacks are five feet for buildings less than 18 feet high and five feet plus one-half foot for each additional foot of height.

B. Residential Standard (B) – Roof Forms and Materials. Roofs play a significant role in the overall character of a structure and, in combination with subsection (A) of this section, shelter the complex volumes typical of the traditional development pattern.

1. Pitch. Roof pitches of less than 6/12 for gables are prohibited. Roof pitches of less than 5/12 for hipped roofs are prohibited. Flat roofs visible from the street are prohibited. An exception to this standard may be made for porch roofs attached to the primary volume.

2. Complexity. As per subsection (A)(2) of this section, single large roof forms are prohibited.

i. Asphalt shingle.

ii. Wood shingle.

iii. Wood shake.

iv. Other historically acceptable materials, as determined by the architectural review committee.

i. Metal roofing (exemptions permitted per TMC 18.140.020(C)).

ii. Concrete tile roofing.

iii. Hot-mopped asphalt.

iv. Terra cotta tiles and other nonhistoric materials, unless documented as historically an element of the design.

a. Horizontal wood siding, maximum eight inches exposed to weather. Smaller exposure of six inches or less is encouraged. Concrete or manufactured wood-based materials are acceptable under this standard. This includes so-called “cottage siding” of wide panels scored to form multiple horizontal lines. Applicants are strongly encouraged to use smooth surfaces, not “rustic” or exposed wood grain pattern materials, which are not consistent with historic building materials.

b. Wood shingle siding (painted shingles are preferred, with a maximum 12 inches exposed to weather).

c. Board-and-batten vertical wood siding, painted.

d. Brick and/or stone (structural or veneer). (See subsection (C)(3) of this section.)

a. Stucco (other than as foundation cladding or a secondary detail material, as in a gable end or enframed panel).

b. Stucco-clad foam (EIFS and similar).

c. T-111 or similar four by eight sheet materials, unless the material is rough-sawn and one-and-one-half- to three-inch batten is used on 12-inch to 16-inch centers.

d. Horizontal metal or vinyl siding.

e. Plastic.

f. Faux stone (slumpstone, fake marble, cultured stone and similar).

3. Brick veneer or any other masonry veneer of less than 12 inches width in any visible dimension is prohibited. The purpose of this standard is to ensure that veneer masonry has a substantial corner return.

D. Residential Standard (D) – Trim and Architectural Detailing. The vernacular residential architecture of Talent reflects the construction techniques of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when buildings had “parts” that allowed for easy construction in a pre-power-saw era. Today, many of these traditional elements are considered “trim,” as newer materials better shed water and eliminate the original functional aspects of various historic building elements. This standard provides for sufficient architectural detail within the Old Town area to assure compatibility between new and old construction and create a rich and visually interesting streetscape.

All residential construction shall employ at least four of the following elements to meet this standard:

1. Watertable or decorative foundation treatments (including stucco).

2. Corner boards.

3. Eave returns.

4. Stringcourse or other horizontal trim at plate or story levels.

5. Eave brackets or support elements.

6. Raking cornice or bargeboards.

7. Decorative projecting rafter tails.

8. Decorative gable end wall details, including change of materials (shingle bands), decorative venting, eave compass features and similar elements.

9. Cornice-level frieze.

E. Residential Standard (E) – Openings. Doors and windows form the “eyes” and “mouth” of a building and play a significant role in forming its character.

A “light” is an individual pane of glass. “Divided-light window” refers to a matrix of smaller panes held in place by muntins. False or pop-in muntins do not hold glass in place, but instead mimic the appearance.

a. Verticality. All windows will be vertically oriented with a width-to-height ratio of one and one-half to two, or greater (e.g., a 24-inch-wide window must be a minimum 36 inches tall).

In order to form larger window openings, group multiple window sashes; do not use large “picture windows” (see also subsection (E)(1)(b)(iv) of this section).

i. Single- and double-hung.

ii. Hopper and transom.

iii. Casement.

iv. Any combination of the above, including groupings containing a central single-pane fixed window flanked by two or more operable windows.

v. Glass block.

vi. Fixed leaded or stained glass panels.

i. Fixed pane windows (when not within a grouping, as in subsection (E)(1)(b)(iv) of this section).

ii. Horizontal slider windows (when visible from the public right-of-way).

i. Lights. True divided-light windows are preferred. False divided-light windows, including pop-in muntins or other applied “grids” over large panes of glass, create a false appearance and are discouraged. Exterior applied muntin bars with shadow/filler elements meet this standard.

ii. Sash Materials. Wood windows or metal clad windows are most consistent with the vernacular tradition and are preferred. Paintable fiberglass windows are allowed. Vinyl, anodized or mill-finish aluminum windows or storm windows are prohibited.

iii. Mirror Glazing. The use of “mirror” or reflective glass visible from the public right-of-way is prohibited.

a. Complexity. Solid, flat, single-panel doors are prohibited. Multi-panel wood and wood/glass doors are consistent with the traditional Old Town character.

b. Materials. Doors may be of wood, metal-clad wood, or metal. Other materials that can be painted or stained, such as cast fiberglass, so as to reflect traditional materials, are permitted.

a. Sills. All windows will have a projecting sill and apron.

b. Side and Head Casing. Door and window trim will include side and head casing that sits no less than one-half inch proud of the surrounding wall surface. Trim mounted in plane with siding is not permitted. Trim mounted atop siding is not recommended.

c. Other Trim Elements. As described in subsection (D) of this section, the use of trim to articulate the construction process was a standard character-defining element of Talent’s vernacular architecture. Although not required by this standard, the use of the following traditional door and window trim elements is encouraged, particularly on the primary facade:

i. Simple window “hoods,” mounted over the window opening. Such features are traditionally treated as pents and clad with roofing material.

ii. Parting bead, across the width, between the side and head casings.

iii. Crown moldings.

iv. Decorative corner elements at the head, apron, or both.

v. Single or dual flanking sidelights at entryways.

vi. Transom windows above the major door or window openings.

F. Residential Standard (F) – Porches and Entrances. In combination with doors, front porches help create a “sense of entry” and typically serve as the focal point of the front facade of a structure. Porches should be encouraged and adequately detailed to create a sense of entry and serve as a primary element of the exterior character.

1. Depth. Projecting or recessed porches shall be a minimum of six feet deep. Projecting covered stoops should be a minimum of three feet deep.

2. Width. Projecting or recessed porches should be a minimum of 10 feet wide or 25 percent of the primary facade width, whichever is the lesser.

Projecting covered stoops should be a minimum of five feet wide.

3. Supports. To assure appropriate visual weight for the design, vertical porch supports shall have a “base” of no less than six inches square in finished dimension from floor level to a minimum 32-inch height. Upper posts shall be no less than four inches square.

a. Base features may be of boxed wood, brick, stone, true stucco, or other materials that reflect a support structure. The use of projecting “caps” or sills is encouraged at the transition between the base and column.

b. When the entire support post is a minimum of six inches square no base feature is required.

c. Projecting covered stoops, with no full-height vertical support, shall utilize members of no less than four inches square.

G. Residential Standard (G) – Landscape, Fencing and Perimeter Definition. Fencing or other edge-defining perimeter features, including the use of landscape materials, are traditional elements in Talent’s residential areas. Please refer to Chapter 18.105 TMC for applicable landscaping standards and requirements. In addition to those provisions, such features within the Old Town area shall also comply with the following standards to maintain the area’s character:

a. Brick.

b. Stone.

c. Wood, including vertical or horizontal board, pickets, split rail, and similar traditional fence designs.

d. Woven-metal (arch-top wire), construction cloth (square-patterned) and similar.

e. Vinyl, when used in simple plain board, picket, or post-and-board installations.

f. Natural metal colored or coated chain link fencing is permitted, but discouraged when visible from the public right-of-way.

g. The mixed use of materials, as in brick columns with wood or woven wire panels, is encouraged.

a. Plywood or other solid wood panel systems.

b. Concrete, including concrete block, “split-faced” concrete block and similar.

c. Open-pattern concrete elements except as decorative elements.

d. Vinyl or wood slat inserts in chain link fencing when in view from the public right-of-way.

e. Faux stone, including cultured stone, slumpstone, and similar materials.

f. Molded or cast aluminum.

3. Fence Transparency. Solid fences in a front yard may be no higher than three feet. Pickets or wood slats should provide a minimum one-half-inch spacing between vertical elements with larger spacing encouraged. Base elements, as in a concrete “curb” or foundation element, are excluded from this standard provided they are no higher than 12 inches above adjacent grade.

4. Gates/Entry Features. In order to create a sense of entry, gates, arbors, pergolas, or similar elements integrated into a perimeter fence are strongly encouraged. Such features may exceed the maximum fence height limit of four feet provided they are less than eight feet in overall height, are located more than 10 feet from any public intersection, and do not otherwise reduce pedestrian or vehicular safety.

1. Compatibility. Additions to existing buildings will continue the existing character of the building or will be a reversion to the documented original character in scale, design, and exterior materials. The creation of nondocumented elements outside the traditional vernacular character, such as towers, turrets, elaborate surface decoration and similar “earlying-up,” is prohibited.

2. Attachment. Additions should be discernible as such, and be clearly differentiated from the original portion of the structure by being offset from the original volume a minimum of four inches. This is in order to document the sequence of construction. An exception to this standard is allowed for the reconstruction of previously existing volumes that can be documented through physical or archival evidence.

3. Noncompatible Materials. Repair of existing noncompatible materials is exempt from subsection (H)(1) of this section. Rear-facing additions to existing buildings may continue the use of these materials so long as they are a continuation of the existing materials.

I. Residential Standard (J) – Parking. Private parking is not a requirement in the CBD zone in order to encourage a more pedestrian and less auto-centric environment. Nevertheless, surface parking is permissible as long as there is one drive aisle serving a single side of parking spaces which generally has a width of 43 feet. Double row parking is permissible within enclosed buildings or on second floor parking structures and within a basement area. [Ord. 851 § 1; Ord. 817 § 8-3K.140, 2006.]