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Home My WebLink AboutCOUNCIL - AGENDA ITEM - 12/20/2011 - SECOND READING OF ORDINANCE NO. 176, 2011, DESIGNADATE: December 20, 2011 STAFF: Karen McWilliams AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL 14 SUBJECT Second Reading of Ordinance No. 176, 2011, Designating the Chestnut/ Wombacher Residence, Attached Three-Car Garage, and Historic Freestanding Fireplace, 331 South Shields Street/1200 West Magnolia Street, as Fort Collins Landmarks Pursuant to Chapter 14 of the City Code. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This Ordinance, unanimously adopted on First Reading on December 6, 2011, designates the Chestnut/ Wombacher Residence, Attached Three-Car Garage, and Historic Freestanding Fireplace, located at 331 South Shields Street/1200 West Magnolia Street as a Fort Collins Landmark. The owner of the property, Margaret Wombacher, is initiating this request. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on Second Reading. ATTACHMENTS 1. Copy of First Reading Agenda Item Summary - December 6, 2011 (w/o attachments) COPY COPY COPY COPY ATTACHMENT 1 DATE: December 6, 2011 STAFF: Karen McWilliams AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY FORT COLLINS CITY COUNCIL 24 SUBJECT First Reading of Ordinance No. 176, 2011, Designating the Chestnut/ Wombacher Residence, Attached Three-Car Garage, and Historic Freestanding Fireplace, 331 South Shields Street/1200 West Magnolia Street, as Fort Collins Landmarks Pursuant to Chapter 14 of the City Code. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Chestnut/Wombacher Property, at 331 South Shields Street, is eligible for designation as a Fort Collins Landmark under Standard 3, for its architectural significance to Fort Collins. The house and attached three-car garage embody distinctive characteristics of the Tudor Revival style, prevalent in the 1920s and 1930s. Notable features include the stucco exterior, with randomly placed decorative large rock; the large chimney; steep, multi-gabled roof lines; a classic sloped gable or “cat-slide” entryway; and two and three light casement windows. The house contains two separate apartments in the basement. The property also contains a freestanding historic brick and stone fireplace, dating to the period of construction. BACKGROUND / DISCUSSION The Chestnut/Wombacher House has additional architectural and historical significance for its construction originally as a “basement house.” Basement houses were a low-cost approach to housing in pre-World War II America. Generally rectangular in shape, basement houses had masonry walls extending two to three feet above grade level, and low to moderately pitched roofs. Access to the underground living area was gained through a gabled vestibule entrance containing a flight of stairs leading down. The owners expected to use the structure of the basement house as the foundation for a standard residence at a later time. Four families have made this residence at 331 South Shields Street their home since its construction. The original owners were Donald and Marjorie Chestnut, who built the basement house and enlarged it to the existing 1 1/2 story Tudor Revival. Mr. Chestnut had a plumbing business, and one of the garage bays was used as his workshop. Doctors George and Olga Brown practiced in Fort Collins, and occupied the house from 1948 until 1972. The home was owned for a brief period by Frank and Connie Marthinsen, before Margaret and Karl Wombacher purchased the house in 1978. The Wombachers met in 1953 in Cameroon, West Africa when both were in the Peace Corps. The couple married in 1964 and had three children. They both taught in Saudi Arabia, and after Mr. Wombacher’s death in 1984, Margaret continued to teach in Korea, Kuwait, and Thailand. Now retired, Margaret Wombacher continues to substitute teach in the Poudre School District. STAFF RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends adoption of the Ordinance on First Reading. BOARD / COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION At a public hearing held on November 9, 2011, the Landmark Preservation Commission voted unanimously to recommend designation of this property under Designation Standard (3), Architecture. ATTACHMENTS 1. Historic Landmark Designation Nomination Form 2. Staff Report 3. Resolution 5, 2011, Landmark Preservation Commission, Recommending Landmark Designation of the Chestnut/Wombacher House, 331 South Shields. 4. Photos ORDINANCE NO. 176, 2011 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS DESIGNATING THE CHESTNUT/WOMBACHER RESIDENCE, ATTACHED THREE-CAR GARAGE, AND HISTORIC FREESTANDING FIREPLACE, 331 SOUTH SHIELDS STREET/1200 WEST MAGNOLIA STREET, FORT COLLINS, COLORADO AS FORT COLLINS LANDMARKS PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 14 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 14-2 of the City Code, the City Council has established a public policy encouraging the protection, enhancement and perpetuation of landmarks within the City; and WHEREAS, by Resolution dated November 9, 2011, the Landmark Preservation Commission (the "Commission") has determined that the Chestnut/Wombacher property has significance to Fort Collins under Landmark Designation Standard (3), as an excellent example of a Tudor Revival residence and attached garage, with historic freestanding outdoor fireplace; and WHEREAS, the Commission has further determined that said property meets the criteria of a landmark as set forth in Section 14-5 of the City Code and is eligible for designation as a landmark, and has recommended to the City Council that said property be designated by the City Council as a landmark; and WHEREAS, the owner of the property has consented to such landmark designation; and WHEREAS, such landmark designation will preserve the property's significance to the community; and WHEREAS, the City Council has reviewed the recommendation of the Commission and desires to approve such recommendation and designate said property as a landmark. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT COLLINS as follows: Section 1. That the property known as the Chestnut/Wombacher Residence, Attached Three-Car Garage, and Historic Freestanding Fireplace, and the adjacent lands upon which the historical resources are located in the City of Fort Collins, Larimer County, Colorado, described as follows, to wit: Lot One (1) and vacated portion of West Magnolia Street adjoining Lot One (1) described as follows: Beginning at the Southeast corner of Block Eight (8) of Scott- Sherwood Addition to the City of Fort Collins, thence South 30 feet; thence West 190 feet; thence North 30 feet; thence East 190 feet to the point of beginning; of Block Eight (8) of Plat of Block Eight (8) and Eleven (11), Scott-Sherwood Addition to the City of Fort Collins, according to the recorded Plat thereof, County of Larimer, State of Colorado be designated as a Fort Collins Landmark in accordance with Chapter l4 of the Code of the City of Fort Collins. Section 2. That the criteria in Section 14-48 of the City Code will serve as the standards by which alterations, additions and other changes to the buildings and structures located upon the above described property will be reviewed for compliance with Chapter 14, Article III, of the Code of the City of Fort Collins Introduced, considered favorably on first reading, and ordered published this 6th day of December, A.D. 2011, and to be presented for final passage on the 20th day of December, A.D. 2011. _________________________________ Mayor ATTEST: _____________________________ City Clerk Passed and adopted on final reading on the 20th day of December, A.D. 2011. _________________________________ Mayor ATTEST: _____________________________ City Clerk