Article VI Zoning Regulations
40-77G
G. Historic/Architectural District.
(1) Purpose. The purpose of this district is to give special recognition to the unique characteristic of the designated areas as they reflect the history, architecture, land use relationships and small village way of life. The creation of this district is an attempt to retain and preserve any structures and sites of historic significance whose age and character both individually and collectively create the tone and character of the designated area. These regulations are intended to prevent any construction, demolition or exterior alteration which would injure, depreciate or conflict with the tone and character of the area.
(2) Zoning. Permitted uses, accessory uses, building height, yard requirements, off-street parking, off-street loading and signs shall be as set forth in the zoning district in which the lot is located. The Historic/Architectural District is superimposed over other zoning districts and its regulations are in addition to all other applicable requirements of this Chapter. See §40-22.
(3) Historic Districts and Sites.
(a) Tinton Falls Village Historic District. The Boundary of the Tinton Falls Village Historic District begins at a point in the center of Pine Brook approximately three hundred (300) feet southwest of the center of Tinton Avenue, near its intersection with Sycamore Avenue, being on the dividing line of Tinton Falls Borough and Colts Neck Township. Thence it runs along the boundary line of the Borough of Tinton Falls and Colts Neck northerly to the northwest corner of Lot 18, Block 6.02, and easterly along the northern boundary of Block 6.02, Lot 18, then proceeding along the northernmost boundary of Block 66, Lot 2. It then runs southerly along the easterly boundary line of Block 66, Lot 4 to the centerline of Pine Brook; thence easterly along the northerly line of Block 67.01 to the northernmost corner of Block 67.01, Lot 10.05; along easterly boundary of Block 67.01, Lot 10.05; then southeasterly to Sycamore Avenue (Highway No. 13A); thence following said highway southwesterly to the northeast corner of Lot 3 in Block 69 and along the easterly and southerly lines of Lot 3, extended to and along the easterly and southern line of Lot 28 in Block 70.02 and extended to the easterly line of Lot 21.01 in Block 70.03; thence westerly along the southerly line of Lot 21.01 in Block 70.03 to centerline of County Highway No. 537; thence along said highway southerly to the northeasterly corner of Lot 1 in Block 73; thence westerly along the southern and western boundary of Block 72 and extended to and along the easterly line of Lot 9, Block 68.01, to the centerline of Pine Brook and northerly along the centerline of Pine Brook to the place of beginning.
(b) Pine Brook Cemetery Historic Site. The Pine Brook Cemetery Historic Site shall consist of the property designated as Block 106, Lot 9 on the tax map of Tinton Falls containing approximately one (1) acre as described in the Deed from Lawrence Earle to the Trustees of the A.M.E. Macedonia Zion Church recorded in Book W-5.
(4) Design Criteria and Guidelines for Historic Districts and Sites. The following guidelines are intended to suggest methods of approaching projects that the Historic Preservation Commission will find acceptable. The guidelines are based on the Secretary of Interior's Standards for Historic Rehabilitation and apply to buildings within the Tinton Falls Historic District. If a building is classified as “non-contributing” within an historic district, then it is exempt from all of the review requirements which deal with architectural elements of the building itself. In the interest of preserving neighborhood character, non-contributing properties shall comply only with the signage and landscape elements sections of these guidelines. Each of the following details is significant whether taken alone or in combination with the other details of the structure. Any work on one detail shall not jeopardize the details of any other.
(a) Exterior Walls and Surface Treatment. The exterior wall surface of a building is one of the most major elements in defining its overall historic character. Retaining, protecting and repairing historic wall surfaces are essential in rehabilitation projects. Wooden siding is the most prevalent exterior surface on Tinton Falls houses. Properly maintained and protected from moisture, wood is a remarkably effective and long-lived siding material. Wood also provides distinctive qualities in texture and shadow lines difficult to replicate in synthetic siding. For these reasons, the Historic Preservation Commission discourages replacement or covering of wood siding with substitute materials. If a wall surface or siding material is too deteriorated to repair, it shall be replaced with material of like construction and dimension.
(b) Acceptable Alteration of Siding. The Historic Preservation Commission may find such an alteration of siding acceptable, providing certain conditions are met. These include: replicating the form and dimensions of the original materials; maintaining trim at proper dimensions, including sill boards, corner boards, cornices, crown moldings on windows, and other trim; and maintaining a relationship between siding and projection of such elements as window surrounds. The Commission will not find acceptable the replacement of wooden clapboard with synthetic clapboard of an inappropriate width, using synthetic siding with molded-in wood graining, shingles or board and batten with clapboard, especially on the street facade, or removing or cutting trim, or flattening it by placing synthetic materials over it, using other synthetic materials such as artificial stone (“Permastone"), artificial brick veneer (“brick face") or asbestos or asphalt shingles.
(c) Painting. When removing the deteriorated paint from wood siding, the recommended methods are hand scraping, hand sanding, and electric hot-air guns. Destructive removal methods such as sandblasting and water blasting shall not be used. Historically painted wood siding shall not be stripped and stained to create a “natural” effect. Repainting a building does not require a permit and, therefore, is not within the purview of the Historic Preservation Commission. The Commission may, however, provide general information on historical paint colors and sources of help for choosing colors.
(d) Masonry. Maintain the original color and texture of masonry walls. Stucco or paint shall not be removed from historically painted or stuccoed masonry walls. Likewise, paint or stucco shall not be applied to historically unpainted or unstuccoed masonry walls. Clean mortar and masonry only when necessary to halt deterioration or to remove heavy soiling, using the gentlest method possible, such as low pressure brushes. Sandblasting, caustic solutions, and high-pressure water blasting shall not be used. These methods erode the surface and accelerate deterioration. Repoint masonry walls when there is evidence of disintegrating mortar, cracks in mortar joints, loose bricks, or moisture retention in the walls. The new mortar shall duplicate the old mortar in composition, bonding strength, profile, color and texture.
(e) Roofs.
[1] The roof, its shape, functional and decorative features, and construction materials, is an important identifying element of a building's historic character. A sound roof is also essential to maintaining the soundness of the entire structure, so the protection and repair of the roof are fundamental to rehabilitation projects.
[2] Most roofs on buildings in the Tinton Falls Historic District and on other, individual historic buildings in the Borough, originally were clad with wood shingles or slate. Few original wood shingle roofs survive. Slate, on the other hand, if well maintained, can last for seventy-five (75) to one hundred (100) years or more. Owners with slate roofs shall therefore consider repair rather than replacement unless a roofer experienced in the repair and replacement of slate finds the roof too deteriorated. Slate repairs shall always employ copper nails and flashing strips, because iron will rust and expand, causing the slates to slip and crumble.
[3] The Historic Preservation Commission recognizes that excessive cost prevents most owners from choosing slate as a replacement material. Wood shingle is also generally not feasible because unless specially treated, it may pose a fire hazard. The board therefore will accept substitute materials that respect the texture, pattern and color or the original roofing materials.
[4] The key elements in roof rehabilitation are as follows:
[i] Retain the original shape (pitch, configuration) of the roof.
[ii] Preserve the functional and decorative features of the roof, such as eaves, cornices, chimneys, dormers, cupolas, gutters and flashing. If a particular feature is too deteriorated to repair, replacement shall be of like construction, matching as near as possible in material, size, shape, texture and color.
[iii] Retain the original roofing material unless it is deteriorated. When partially re-roofing, deteriorated roof covering shall be replaced whenever possible with new materials that match the original roofing in composition, size, shape and texture. When entirely re-roofing, new materials need not replicate the old, especially when using the same kind of materials is not economically feasible. The substitute materials, however, shall be compatible. Mineral fiber roofing resembling slate and asphalt single in appropriate colors is acceptable. Rolled roofing and asphalt shingle in inappropriate colors such as white are not acceptable.
[5] Additions to roofs such as dormers, skylights, solar collectors, mechanical and service equipment shall be places so that they are inconspicuous from the public view. Roof additions shall not damage or obscure the historic character of the roof.
(f) Gutters and Down Spouts. Originally, many 19th century houses did not have gutters, depending on steep roof slopes and wide overhangs to keep water away from walls and foundations. Others had box gutters. These were sunken behind eaves and therefore concealed. Where box gutters exist, it is preferable to maintain them, rather than install hanging gutters, which may interfere with brackets or other eaves trim. Acceptable gutter and down spout materials include: wood, copper, aluminum or galvanized metal painted to match the trim. Acceptable shapes are half-round gutters and round leaders. Not acceptable are polyvinylchloride materials and K-gutter and rectangular leader profiles.
(g) Porches and Entrances.
[1] Entrances and porches are often the central focus of historic buildings. Each house style has a distinguishable type of entryway that related directly to the overall building design. Because the form of most of the historic buildings in Tinton Falls is quite simple, the porches often represent the chief stylistic and character-defining imagery, and are irreplaceable elements of the community's historical character.
[2] Porches which are appropriate to the building shall not be removed. Retention of original porches and replacement of deteriorated elements in identical materials and dimensions is always acceptable. Alterations or additions shall be appropriate to the style of the building. The enclosure of porches, especially on the street front, is not acceptable. Screened or glassed-in rear or side porches may be acceptable of well detailed and well proportioned.
[3] Maintain the size, shape, and location of door openings and porches. Primary entrances shall not be moved. New entrances shall not be added to the main elevation. Do not block down entryways to reduce the size of the door opening or to fit modern stock door sizes. Any door replacement shall be appropriate to the historic period of the house.
[4] Acceptable storm and screen doors have plain metal or wood surrounds, or may be wooden Victorian-style decorative doors, if stylistically appropriate. Colonial-style doors with scalloped upper panels and cross-buck lower panels are inappropriate.
[5] Retain the original features of entrances and porches whenever possible. These include doors, fanlights and lights, sidelights, pilasters, entablatures, hardware, columns, balustrades and steps. Do not discard elements if they can be repaired and re-used. Simplified version of original features (such as porch posts) may be acceptable as long as they are of the same size and proportion.
[6] Some later doorways and porches may have acquired significance in their own right, such as Colonial Revival elements on older houses, and shall be respected because they are evidence of the building's history.
[7] The following guidelines apply to various elements of porches:
[i] Piers: Brick or stone, with or without wood lattice screening. Cement block is not acceptable.
[ii] Floors: Tongue and groove, or other forms of board flooring. Wolmanized wood decking and cement or brick flooring are not acceptable.
[iii] Post, Columns and Trim: Wood, shingles, stucco, depending on style of building. Minimum dimension of four inches by four inches (4" x 4") for post, shaped as appropriate for style of building. Brick, concrete, cast or wrought iron and aluminum are not acceptable materials.
[iv] Ceilings: Tongue and groove, or other forms of boarding, painted blue, oiled or varnished. Sheet rock or vinyl are not acceptable substitutes.
[v] Railings: Molded and shaped rails, turned or jigsawn balusters, square two inch by two inch (2" x 2") balusters set four (4") inches on center, and iron pipe on certain early 20th century buildings are acceptable. Railings of stock lumber (2" x 4" boards), thin rectangular balusters, balusters placed in front of or behind rails, and cast iron or aluminum railings are not acceptable.
(h) Decorative Trim.
[1] Trim refers to the ornamental details applied to a building such as cornices, brackets, pilasters, railings, corner boards, finials, bargeboard and window and door casings. Architectural trim elements are indicators of a building's historic period and style, and may exemplify skilled craftsmanship which cannot be duplicated today.
[2] The Historic Preservation Commission strongly encourages the preservation of wooden trim and its repair where deterioration has occurred. It is usually possible to remove pieces, duplicate them by using sound pieces as patterns, and attach the replacement pieces to the surviving trim. Synthetic or substitute materials may be used in some instances where they are compatible, such as fiberglass replacement pieces manufactured from "Fypon."
[3] The Commission encourages the retention and repair of existing trim or the replication of original trim. Where severe deterioration has occurred, or trim has been previously removed, application of simplified trim appropriate to the style of the building may be acceptable. Removal of trim without replacement; application of trim inappropriate to the style of the building; and wrapping trim in vinyl in a manner that obscures its form, are all unacceptable.
(i) Windows
[1] Windows are a major feature of the building exterior and vary with each building style. Windows have a proportional relationship to the structure as a whole, and they also have a decorative function. The shape and glazing pattern for windows on a building may be one of the principal characteristics in identifying its historic period and style. Thus, if original windows are removed and replaced with incompatible modern windows, the basic character of the building will be altered substantially or even disfigured.
[2] The number, size and locations of existing window openings shall be retained. Do not block-in windows to reduce the size of the window opening or to fit stock window sizes. Maintain the size, shape and glazing pattern of the original windows. New window openings shall not be added on elevations which are subject to view from a public street. New windows or bays must be appropriate in form, style and rhythm.
[3] Retain and repair window frames, sash, decorative glass, panes, sills, window heads, hoodmolds, moldings, and exterior shutters and blinds whenever possible. If replacement of any window part is necessary due to deterioration, the replacement shall duplicate the material and design of the older window. Replacement sash of wooden windows, for example, shall be wooden. If duplication of the original window or window part is not technically or economically feasible, a simplified version of the original may be acceptable as long as it has the same size and proportion.
[4] Modern window types which are inappropriate include large picture windows, casement, and bow windows unless they are original to the building.
[5] Replacement shutters of blinds shall be sized to cover the entire window when closed. In other words, the shutter shall measure the full height of the window and half its width. The shutters shall be at least one (1") inch thick, and fastened to the window frame, not to the siding. Thin aluminum or vinyl shutters are not acceptable.
[6] Inappropriate modern window features such as plastic and metal awnings or fake, non-operable, synthetic shutters and blinds, distract from the historic appearance of a building and shall not be used.
[7] Storm windows shall have wooden frames or, if metal, shall be anodized or painted with the trim. Interior storm windows are acceptable. Exterior storm windows must follow the shape of the window with the meeting rail in the same position as that of the window. Stock size storm windows that require blocking down of openings are not acceptable.