Submitted By: Charlita Whitehead
presenter
Presentation By: Roberto Ellis
end
Department: Growth Management
FORMAL TITLE:
title
Case File #68; COA26-0060; 906 E Fort King Street; A request to install a custom-made steel handrail along the front porch stairs
end
OCALA’S RELEVANT STRATEGIC GOALS:
Quality of Place.
PROOF OF PUBLICATION:
N/A
body
BACKGROUND:
|
Petitioner/Property Owner: |
Stacey Harris and Jon Harris |
|
Applicant Request: |
A request to install a custom-made, matte black powder-coated steel handrail along the left side of the front porch stairs. The proposed handrail will be approximately 100-inches in length and 36-inches above the stair nosings and will be supported by three decorative forged wall brackets attached to the existing porch column and stair walls. The handrail will have curved returns at both ends. No freestanding posts are proposed. For a copy of the Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) application please contact the Growth Management Department. |
|
|
|
|
Parcel Information: |
|
|
Acres: |
±0.50 acres |
|
Parcel(s) ID: |
28362-039-01 |
|
Location: |
906 E Fort King St. |
|
Future Land Use: |
Neighborhood |
|
Zoning District: |
R-3, Multi-Family Residential |
|
Existing Use: |
Residential |
Background:
The existing home, known as the William G. Marshall House, was constructed in 1908 using a Classical Revival architectural style. The home is a contributing structure within the Ocala Historic District.
Previous Certificates of Appropriateness:
• COA26-0003 (2026) - Approved, landscaping improvements.
• COA26-0012 (2026) - Approved, replacement of existing wood fencing with ornamental black aluminum fencing; installation of stairs from the lower carport to the upper deck; enclosure and expansion of the existing screened porch for additional interior space; replacement of the upper deck railing; removal of exterior shutters and window screens for repair and restoration of window trim; and relocation of existing windows and doors as part of the addition and interior renovation.
• COA26-0017 (2026) - Approved, replacement of deteriorating siding and roofing on an outbuilding.
• COA26-0025 (2026) - Approved, construction of two open-air pergola structures.
• COA26-0056 (2026) - Approved, replacement of damaged front stairs.
FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS:
Staff Analysis
Certificate of Appropriateness Criteria for Decisions (Section 94-82(g)):
The Code states that the Board may issue a certificate of appropriateness for the reconstruction, alteration, new construction, non-permanent structures, demolition, partial demolition, or removal of any building or structure within a locally designated historic district or any designated local landmark, or any other activity for which a CA is required, if such action is not deemed contrary to the purposes of historic preservation and to the special character of districts, sites and resources as designated specifically. The Board's decisions will be based on the Secretary of the Interior's Standards, the city's Historic Preservation Design Guidelines, this chapter, and the following criteria:
1. Exterior alterations shall not diminish the architectural quality or historical character of the building or the building site.
Staff Comments: The proposed handrail is a functional exterior alteration to the front porch stairs of the structure. The proposed simple Victorian-style handrail will be constructed of smooth steel with a matte black powder-coated finish and will incorporate curved returns and decorative forged wall brackets. The proposed wall-mounted installation does not introduce freestanding posts and limits the alteration to the existing porch stair area. Staff finds that the proposed alteration will not diminish the architectural quality or historical character of the building or site.
2. Sandblasting of any materials except for iron is prohibited.
Staff Comments: Not applicable.
3. Only through very controlled conditions can most historic building material be abrasively cleaned of soil or paint without measurable damage to the surface or profile of the substrate. Decisions regarding the proper cleaning process for historic structures can be made only after careful analysis of the building fabric, and testing. Generally, wet abrasive cleaning of a historic structure should be conducted within the range of 20 to 100 psi at a range of three to 12 inches.
Staff Comments: Not applicable.
4. Landscaping, signs, parking and site development should be sensitive to the individual building and should be visually compatible with the buildings and environment with which they are visually related.
Staff Comments: This proposed handrail is a site-related improvement associated with the front entry of the historic residence. The proposed steel handrail is limited in scale and location, is visually subordinate to the residence, and is compatible with the existing exterior features of the property. The proposed installation is visually compatible with the building and its historic setting.
5. New construction shall be visually compatible with the buildings and environment with which the new construction is visually related. When an application involves new construction, the applicant may present conceptual plans to the board for review and comment before the application for a certificate of appropriateness is submitted and before construction drawings of the project are prepared. Aspects to be considered include:
a. The height, volume, proportion between width and height of the facades, the proportions and relationship between doors and windows, the rhythm of solids and voids created by openings in the facades, the materials used in the facades, the texture inherent in the facades, the colors, pattern and trim used in the facades, and the design of the roof.
Staff Comments: Not applicable.
b. The existing rhythm created by existing building masses and spaces between them should be preserved.
Staff Comments: Not applicable.
c. Landscape plans should be visually compatible with the buildings and environment with which the landscaping is visually related.
Staff Comments: Not applicable.
d. Proportions of existing facades which are visually related shall be maintained when neighboring buildings have a dominant horizontal or vertical expression, that expression should be carried over in the new facade.
Staff Comments: Not applicable.
e. Architectural details should be incorporated as necessary to relate the new with the old and to preserve and enhance the inherent architectural characteristics of the area. Staff Comments: Not applicable.
f. Accessory structures shall be compatible with the scale, shape, roof form, materials, and detailing of the main structure to protect the historic integrity of the neighborhood. The accessory structure shall not exceed the maximum height allowed by the applicable zoning or the height of the existing primary structure.
Staff Comments: Not applicable.
Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties
Standards for Rehabilitation
2. The historic character of a property will be retained and preserved. The removal of distinctive materials or alteration of features, spaces and spatial relationships that characterize a property will be avoided. (page 76)
Staff Comments: The proposed work does not require the removal of identified historic architectural features. The handrail will be installed at the existing front porch stairs and will be attached to existing masonry surfaces using wall-mounted brackets. The proposed handrail is limited in scale and does not substantially alter the form or character-defining features of the porch or residence.
5. Distinctive materials, features, finishes, and construction techniques or examples of craftsmanship that characterize a property will be preserved. (page 76)
Staff Comments: The proposed work does not require the removal or alteration of distinctive historic materials or features of the residence. The proposed handrail and brackets are new work and are intended to provide a functional safety feature at the existing front stairs while remaining visually subordinate to the historic porch and residence.
9. New additions, exterior alterations, or related new construction will not destroy historic
materials, features, and spatial relationships that characterize the property. The new work
will be differentiated from the old and will be compatible with the historic materials, features,
size, scale and proportion, and massing to protect the integrity of the property and
its environment. (page 76)
Staff Comments: The proposed handrail is a contemporary addition to the existing front porch stairs but is differentiated from the historic structure through its simple steel construction while remaining compatible in scale, proportion, material, and finish. The wall-mounted configuration minimizes the visual and physical impact of the new feature. The proposed handrail does not alter the overall form, massing, or spatial relationship of the front porch.
10. New additions and adjacent or related new construction will be undertaken in such a manner that, if removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the historic property and its environment would be unimpaired. (page 76)
Staff Comments: The proposed handrail and mounting brackets are limited to the existing stair and porch wall surfaces and can be removed in the future without altering the essential form or integrity of the historic residence or porch.
Staff Recommendation
Appropriate
ALTERNATIVE:
• Appropriate with Conditions
• Table
• Deny