Conservation District
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McDoel Gardens Neighborhood Conservation District |
Note
Planning, zoning, and construction regulations for the City of Bloomington regulating building construction and demolition may be more restrictive than these guidelines. The guidelines for the McDoel Gardens Conservation District function within the existing regulations.
General Guiding Principles
Guideline Application
Demolition of Existing Principal Structures
Moving of Existing Principal Structures
New Construction: Accessory Structures
New Construction: Principal Residential Structures
Procedures for Changing the Guidelines
Illustrations
General Guiding Principles
1. The purpose of the McDoel Gardens Conservation District is to save our neighborhood for the people who live in it. The neighborhood, which has been home to four generations of working people, has seen many homes destroyed over the past two decades. The Conservation District establishes a border around our houses to prevent further erosion of our neighborhood.
2. McDoel has always been a mixed neighborhood of residential, commercial, industrial, and religious structures, and the creation of the McDoel Gardens Conservation District does not change that basic fact. The guidelines are intended to protect residential areas, not to prevent commercial, industrial or religious use in areas where these activities have traditionally taken place.
3. New construction of residential structures should be visually compatible with "contributing" house types found in the neighborhood. There is diversity among house types within the neighborhood, and this diversity allows a wide variety of styles for proposed new structures. "Contributing" houses are those that contribute to the traditional character of the neighborhood, by being fifty years old or older and not significantly altered from their original form. "Non-contributing" houses are houses less than fifty years in age or those that have been significantly altered from their original form. See the accompanying map for identification of contributing houses.
4. The intent of these guidelines is to maintain a living, healthy neighborhood. Our goal is to maintain property values for current homeowners. The Historic Preservation Commission should interpret the guidelines flexibly rather than rigidly, and should seek the input of neighbors when reviewing proposed projects covered by these guidelines.
Guideline Application
These Conservation District guidelines are to be used by the Historic Preservation Commission in the review of proposed changes in the residential areas of McDoel Gardens, and apply to demolition or moving of houses, construction of new accessory structures associated with contributing houses, and construction of new houses. Examples of items NOT restricted by the guidelines are:
w additions to a principle structure or house a carports
Demolition of Existing Principal Structures
Guiding principles
Existing houses within the neighborhood should be maintained when feasible.
Factors to consider
w Is the structure a contributing structure (fifty years old or older and not significantly altered from its original form)?
w What condition is the structure in?
Determinations
a) If a structure is a contributing structure, and is in good or repairable condition (that is, if restoration would cost less than replacement), then a certificate of approval for demolition of the structure will not generally be given. Exceptions may be made if demolition of the structure contributes to the public good of the neighborhood.
b) If a structure is non-contributing, but is a part of the neighborhood's residential context, a certificate of approval may be given if demolition contributes to the public good of the neighborhood.
Moving of Existing Principal Structures
Guiding principles
Existing contributing houses within the neighborhood should be kept in place when feasible.
Factors to consider
w Is the structure a contributing structure (fifty years old or older and not significantly altered from its original form)?
w What condition is the house in?
Determinations
a) If a structure is a contributing structure, is in good or repairable condition (that is, if restoration would cost less than replacement), then a certificate of
approval for moving the structure will not generally be given. Exceptions may be made if moving the structure contributes to the public good of the neighborhood.
b) If a structure is non-contributing, but is a part of the neighborhood's residential context, a certificate of approval may be given if moving the structure contributes to the public good of the neighborhood
New Construction
Accessory Structures
Guiding principles
New structures accessory to contributing houses should be visually compatible with existing neighborhood patterns. Review of new structures accessory to non-contributing house is NOT required.
Definition of accessory structures
Accessory structures are permanent structures that are physically separate from the house and have a belowground foundation. Examples of accessory structures are sheds with below-ground foundations, and one and two-car garages. See examples of accessory features NOT covered by these guidelines above, under "Guideline Application."
Public ways
"Public ways" in the McDoel Gardens Neighborhood are: South Rogers St., South Madison St., West Wylie St,, West Dodds St., West Dixie St., West Allen St., West Hillside St. (facing south). Not considered public ways: South Fairview St., West Driscoll St., West Wilson St., West Hillside St. (facing north), alleys.
Placement on lot
Existing historic accessory structures are generally found within the back yard of the lot. To be compatible with this pattern, permanent new accessory structures should be placed within the back yard where feasible. Existing historic accessory structures placed in back yards are often visible from the public way; this is acceptable with new accessory structures as well.
Structure design
Permanent new accessory structures visible to public view (that is, seen from the defined public ways by casual passersby) are encouraged to be visually compatible with existing structures. Garages are limited to a maximum two-car size. Roof lines that match the pitch of the main structure on the lot are encouraged but not required.
Materials
There are no material restrictions for accessory structures within these guidelines.
Guiding principles
New construction of residential structures should be visually compatible with contributing house types found in the neighborhood.
Definition of principal residential structures
A principal residential structure is the residential structure on the lot.
Placement on lot
The contributing houses in McDoel are generally (though not exclusively) placed in the center of the lot in the side-to-side dimension, and somewhat forward of center in the front-to-back dimension, creating two approximately equal side yards, and a front yard smaller than the back yard. Where feasible this pattern is encouraged in placing new residential structures on their lots. New residential structures should be set back from the street a distance consistent with the set-back depths of contributing houses (that is, within the minimum and maximum set-back ranges; see illustration).
Structure design (size, height, roof line, porch)
Design of new residential structures is encouraged to follow the basic design patterns of the contributing houses found in the neighborhood. These include size (ca. 800-1500 square feet on ground level, typically one to three bedrooms); height (one to two stories); and main roof configuration (gabled roofs, including single gable, two perpendicular gables, and pyramid styles). Roof pitch for new residential structures should be within the range found on houses on that block (see illustration). In cases where a new residential structure is built to replace a house formerly located on the lot, the new structure should follow the same footprint (placement and outline on lot) as the former house. Exceptions may be made if the original house was placed off center (side to side) or its set-back was not in the range of contributing houses. If the original house was exceedingly small, the replacement house may be larger but should be within the size range of contributing houses. Where feasible, front porches are encouraged as compatible with the neighborhood's character.
Parking considerations
Typically, houses with off-street parking in the neighborhood feature straight driveways off the street, placed on one side of the house. This configuration is compatible and acceptable in new construction.
Materials
The contributing homes in the neighborhood feature a wide variety of materials. This variety is compatible and acceptable for new residential structures as well. Typically, contributing homes feature a masonry foundation (stone or block), with exterior walls sided in wood, aluminum, fiber, vinyl, or composite materials; design of new residential structures is encouraged to follow this pattern where feasible.
Procedures for Changing the Guidelines
1. Changes to the guidelines, if desired, shall be initiated from and drafted by the McDoel Gardens neighborhood organization.
2. The neighborhood organization shall inform the Historic Preservation Commission of the proposed changes to the guidelines.
3. All property owners in the Conservation District shall be notified of the proposed changes in the guidelines. They will be given copies of the proposed changes and notice of the time and place of the public hearing on the proposal.
4. The neighborhood organization shall provide a system whereby all property owners have the opportunity to cast a vote on the proposal.
5. If 51% of the property owners who cast a vote approve the changes, the new guidelines are forwarded to the Historic Preservation Commission for ratification.
w sheds not on permanent foundations
w exterior siding on existing structures
w windows size and placement on existing structures
w porch enclosures
w fences
w patios
w decks
w satellite dishes and antennas
w driveways
w swimming pools
w ponds and other landscaping
w kennels
w yard art
Principal Residential Structures
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McDoel Gardens Conservation District |
