Napa Abajo/Fuller Park Design Guidelines

 

Next Workshop:

February 19,1998, 6:30-8:30 PM

Napa Landmarks Building, 1026 First Street

 

Background on the District

In February 1997, Napa's oldest residential neighborhood was placed on

the National Register, with over 300 historic resources reflecting the

evolution of architectural style in Napa between 1868 and 1918. With

only a few exceptions, each building is different from any other. Grand

and modest dwellings often share the same block.

 

Contributing to the feeling of a pre-1919 neighborhood are the gridded

streets with sidewalks and mature trees, the arrangement of the

buildings with front and side yards, the predominantly residential uses

and the frequency of prominent homes at corner locations. The District

lies west of the Napa River and south of downtown.

 

 

 

November 5 Workshop Summary

On November 5, 1997, Winter & Company and RACESTUDIO conducted a public

workshop in order to help area residents identify important features,

positive trends, areas of concern and potential goals of the

neighborhood. A series of exercise sheets were used for workshop

participants to record their results, both individually and as groups.

The following results consist of the most common responses given by

workshop participants; whereas, a more comprehensive listing of results

accompany this memorandum.

 

 

 

 

 

In Exercise #1, when participants were asked to identify the features

which are most common to the neighborhood, seventy-nine percent (79%)

noted the landscape features. Fifty-five percent (55%) noted the area

landmarks; forty-eight percent (48%) noted the pedestrian routes and the

walkability; and thirty-eight percent (38%) noted the entries and

gateways to the neighborhood, the grid and system of alleys and the

natural features. When asked to identify three favorite features in the

neighborhood, seventy-two percent (72%) noted identified Fuller Park.

Fifty-five percent (55%) identified the giant Redwoods and thirty-four

percent (34%) identified the Napa River. When asked if any areas existed

that have special character, fifty-two (52%) of the participants noted

Franklin Street or the "Redwood District." Forty-eight percent (48%)

identified the houses along Fuller Park and only twenty-eight percent

(28%) identified the "Big Four Mansion District."

 

 

 

 

 

In Exercise #2, when participants were asked how houses were typically

located on their sites, fifty-five percent (55%) said that houses are

evenly setback. Thirty-eight percent (38%) noted that detached

outbuildings are located to the rear of the lot, and twenty-one percent

(21%) noted that most of the houses face the street. When asked what

distinct landscape patterns exist for individual building sites, less

than half, forty-eight percent (48%), of the participants identified the

mature, canopy trees that line the streets. Nearly as many participants

noted the prevalence of front yards with grassy lawns; whereas, only

twenty-four percent (24%) noted the uses of hedges and shrubs close to

the homes. When asked what the tradition is fro the mass and scale of

homes, fifty-five percent (55%) identified the diversity in scale"from

small cottages to grand mansions. Thirty-four percent (34%) noted the

rhythm of pitched roof forms and only seventeen percent (17%) noted the

pedestrian scale of the homes (from one to one-and-one half story). When

asked what kinds of details are typically seen on neighborhood homes,

fifty-five percent of respondents noted the articulated porches commonly

seen. Thirty-one percent (31%) noted the ornate detailing and woodwork,

and twenty-one percent (21%) noted the common use of columns and

horizontal wood siding.

 

 

 

 

In Exercise #3, when participants were asked to list three positive

trends, sixty-six percent (66%) noted all of the rehabilitation and

restoration work seen in the neighborhood. Only fourteen percent (14%)

of respondents noted the continued maintenance of homes and yards, as

well as the new young, single family homeowners. When asked to list

three building trends that are of concern, many respondents had many

unique answers. Only twenty-eight percent (28%) agreed that deferred

maintenance of homes and yards was of concern. Twenty-four percent (24%)

commented on the abundance of apartments and multi-family homes, and

twenty-one percent (21%) noted the slumlords, the poor management of

property and the vast quantity of parking.

 

When asked to describe their preferred future for the neighborhood,

thirty-one percent (31%) of the participants wanted to see design review

on new construction and alterations to ensure compatibility. Seventeen

percent (17%) desired better enforcement of codes and more tree-lined

streets or required planting in the right-of-way. Another fourteen

percent (14%) wanted to see a continuation of the diversity in building

stock and residents alike, as well as a down zoning or more flexibility

in zoning management.

 

Return to RACESTUDIO Home Page