Historic Zoning Commission approves addition at 4718 Florida Avenue, excludes north patio
September 19, 2025 | Chattanooga City, Hamilton County, Tennessee
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The Chattanooga Historic Zoning Commission on Wednesday approved a Certificate of Appropriateness for an addition and related changes at 4718 Florida Avenue in the Saint Elmo Historic District.
The commission granted approval for a two‑story rear addition, changes to window openings, and a covered and screened porch on the south elevation, with conditions that continue prior requirements and explicitly exclude the patio on the north side of the house from the approval.
Why it matters: The house is a circa‑1910 historic structure within the Saint Elmo overlay; the commission’s design guidelines call for additions to be secondary in scale and located at the rear so the character of the original building is maintained.
Staff summary and applicant presentation: Planning staff reviewed the application, showing Sanborn maps and photos and noting the prior COA with conditions. Staff cited Saint Elmo design guidelines 6.1 (additions), 6.6 (decks), 6.27 (roofs), and 6.31 (shutters) as the applicable standards. Applicant Stephanie Ponds said she had approval in November but revised the design to extend an awning roof to a house jog and to add a roof over a second‑story porch on the south elevation. She told the commission the changes would “improve the design of the addition.”
Commission discussion: Commissioners asked about roof material (the applicant confirmed architectural asphalt shingles), the visibility and treatment of the proposed north patio, and whether existing openings would be retained. The applicant said the changes are at the rear and that back openings would be kept in place “in case someone in the future wanted to take it all down and back to the original.” Commissioners agreed to exclude the north‑side patio from the approval and to carry forward conditions from the previous COA about keeping openings in place.
Action and outcome: A motion to approve case HZ‑24‑102 (4718 Florida Avenue) as submitted, pursuant to Chattanooga City Code chapter 10, article 2, section 10‑15(e), and the Saint Elmo design guidelines, carried. The motion included the conditions that the north‑side patio be excluded from the approval and that prior COA conditions remain in effect.
What’s next: The COA will be issued within a week of the hearing; applicants were reminded that a COA is not a building permit and that separate building/land‑disturbing permits are required before work begins.
The commission granted approval for a two‑story rear addition, changes to window openings, and a covered and screened porch on the south elevation, with conditions that continue prior requirements and explicitly exclude the patio on the north side of the house from the approval.
Why it matters: The house is a circa‑1910 historic structure within the Saint Elmo overlay; the commission’s design guidelines call for additions to be secondary in scale and located at the rear so the character of the original building is maintained.
Staff summary and applicant presentation: Planning staff reviewed the application, showing Sanborn maps and photos and noting the prior COA with conditions. Staff cited Saint Elmo design guidelines 6.1 (additions), 6.6 (decks), 6.27 (roofs), and 6.31 (shutters) as the applicable standards. Applicant Stephanie Ponds said she had approval in November but revised the design to extend an awning roof to a house jog and to add a roof over a second‑story porch on the south elevation. She told the commission the changes would “improve the design of the addition.”
Commission discussion: Commissioners asked about roof material (the applicant confirmed architectural asphalt shingles), the visibility and treatment of the proposed north patio, and whether existing openings would be retained. The applicant said the changes are at the rear and that back openings would be kept in place “in case someone in the future wanted to take it all down and back to the original.” Commissioners agreed to exclude the north‑side patio from the approval and to carry forward conditions from the previous COA about keeping openings in place.
Action and outcome: A motion to approve case HZ‑24‑102 (4718 Florida Avenue) as submitted, pursuant to Chattanooga City Code chapter 10, article 2, section 10‑15(e), and the Saint Elmo design guidelines, carried. The motion included the conditions that the north‑side patio be excluded from the approval and that prior COA conditions remain in effect.
What’s next: The COA will be issued within a week of the hearing; applicants were reminded that a COA is not a building permit and that separate building/land‑disturbing permits are required before work begins.
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