HomeMy WebLinkAboutDSD-20-077 - Heritage Permit Application HPA-2020-V-010 (43 Seneca Drive)REPORT TO: Heritage Kitchener
DATE OF MEETING: August 4, 2020
SUBMITTED BY: Della Ross,Director of Planning (Interim)
519-741-2200 ext. 7327
PREPARED BY: Leon Bensason,Coordinator, Cultural Heritage Planning
(519) 741-2200 x7306
WARD (S) INVOLVED: Ward 9
DATE OF REPORT:June 25, 2020
REPORT NO.: DSD-20-077
SUBJECT: Heritage Permit Application HPA-2020-V-010
43 Seneca Drive
Construction of a One Storey Addition
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RECOMMENDATION:
THAT pursuant to Section 42of the Ontario Heritage Act, Heritage Permit Application HPA-2020-
V-010be approvedto permit the construction of a one storey addition, onthe property municipally
addressed as 43 Seneca Drive, in accordance with the supplementary information submitted with
the applicationand the following condition:
1.That final building permit drawings be reviewed and heritage clearance be provided by
Heritage Planning staff prior to the issuance of any required building permit.
BACKGROUND:
The Development Services Department is in receipt of Heritage Permit Application HPA-2020-V-010,
which is seeking permission to construct a one storey addition to the side of the single detached dwelling
on the property municipally addressed as 43 Seneca Driveandlocated within the St. Mary’s Heritage
Conservation District.
Location Map: 43 Seneca Drive
*** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. ***
Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994for assistance.
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REPORT:
Theproperty municipally addressed as 43 Seneca Driveis located on the south side of Seneca Drive at the
corner of Seneca Drive and Lorne Crescent in the Southdale Planning Community. Properties on the south
side of Seneca Drive are on the southern edge of the St. Mary’s Heritage Conservation District of wartime
housing.
Location of 43 Seneca Drive within St. Mary’s HCD Boundary
While 43 Seneca Drive features wartime housing characteristics including a single storeydesign, hipped
roof, front picture windowandsmall front stoop, it has been the subject of alterations and additions including
being clad in newer vinyl siding, an addition and deck facing Lorne Crescent, and newer vinyl windows
throughout.
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43 Seneca Drive – Front Elevation (Seneca Drive)
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43 Seneca Drive – Lorne Crescent side elevation showing existing addition and deck
Heritage Permit Application 2020-V-010 proposes to add a 16x37 foot single storey addition to the east side
elevation of the existing residence. The applicant advises that the addition will help meet the needs of a
growing family and address water and plumbing issues related to the existing foundation. The proposed
addition would be set back one foot from the front elevation and continue the existing hipped roof design,
aligning below the existing ridge line of the house. The addition would be clad in vinyl siding to match the
design and colour of the new siding on the rest of the building. Two windows are proposed to be installed on
the front elevation of the addition (one bedroom and one basement window), and the rear elevation will
feature windows and a basement walkout.Complete plans and elevations are included with the Heritage
Permit application, which is attached as Appendix ‘A’ to this report.
North (front) elevation plan of proposed east side yard addition
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The St. Mary’s Heritage Conservation District Plan contains guidelines for alterations, new additions and
minor new construction. The guidelines encourage that additions be located to the rear or an inconspicuous
side of the building and be slightly lower in height than the ridge line of the existing roof. The guidelines for
additions included inthe St. Mary’s HCD Plan are attached to this report as Appendix ‘B’.
Heritage Planning Staff Comments
Wartime houses within the St. Mary’s HCD Plan are generally very modest in scale. This makes constructing
an addition that adds meaningful square footage, in a way that does not overwhelm the existing building,
challenging. In the case of 43 Seneca Drive, the challenge is madegreater given the wartime house is
located on a corner lot where the rear yard and westerlyside yardfacing Lorne Crescent (which already
features anaddition and deck), haveconsiderable visibility.In response, the applicant has opted to add the
proposed addition to the easterly side yard. While this results in the front face of the proposed addition being
visible from the street, the design attempts to mitigate impactsthrough the following measures.
The frontelevation of the addition will beslightly set back from the front of the main house. While the
recess is minor at one foot,it does help to break up the street facing façade and establish a line
separatingthe addition fromthe original house.
Most of the mass and square footage of the proposed addition will not be visible given the addition
is located in the eastside yardand aligned with the existing house.
While the proposed addition is much larger in scale than the existing addition on the west elevation;
the front face of the addition does notcreatea significant imbalance to thebuilding and property
when viewedfrom Seneca Drive,given where and how both additions tie into the main buildingand
roofline.
The visible (front) elevationof the proposed addition will have minimal openingsand will feature the
same construction (cladding and colour) used on the main house. Thismay help to soften the overall
visual impact of the addition and continue to maintain the prominence of the original portion of the
building.
The subject property is at the end of the street on a corner lot on the southern edge of the heritage district
boundary. While the proposed addition does not address all of the HCD Plan guidelines, staff are of the
opinion that the addition is within acceptable range and that the construction will not impair or negatively
impact the overall integrity of the St. Mary’s Heritage Conservation District.
In accordance with the Heritage Permit Application form, the approval of an application under the Ontario
Heritage Actshall not be a waiver of any of the provisions of any by-law of the City of Kitchener or legislation,
including, but not limited to, the requirements of the Ontario Building Code and Zoning By-law.
ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN:
The recommendation of this report supports the achievement of the City’s strategic vision through the
delivery of core service.
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FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
N/A
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
INFORM - This report has been posted to the City’s website with the agenda in advance of the Heritage
Kitchener committee meeting.
CONSULT - Heritage Kitchener has been consulted regarding the subjectHeritage Permit Application.
APPENDICES:
APPENDIX A:Heritage Permit Application HPA-2020-V-010
APPENDIX B:St. Mary’s Heritage Conservation District Plan guidelines for alterations, new additions
and minor new construction.
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