Council OKs carriage house with street-facing garage at 190 Canton Street; staff to require stormwater follow-up

The City Council unanimously approved a variance at its June 23 meeting allowing construction of a two-story, 1,211-square-foot carriage house with garage doors facing the driveway at the rear of 190 Canton Street before the primary residence is constructed.

Planning staff said the carriage house sits about 250 feet from Canton Street behind trees that would remain and that the plan meets setback and parking requirements for a carriage house. Staff noted the project will be reviewed by the downtown architect for style compliance; the carriage house was described to staff as Romanesque subtype of the shingle architectural style and the full house must match the style when submitted.

Adjacent property owners had raised concerns about stormwater and preservation of shared trees. Applicant representatives said they intend to address drainage: once the primary house is constructed the development will cross the 5,000-square-foot threshold of new or replaced impervious surface that triggers the city’s hydrology/stormwater requirements and they will provide underground stormwater management as needed. Staff said the current work involved sewer connection and limited demolition and that the full hydrology treatment will be required at the time of the main-house permit.

Council amended condition number 1 to require the site be developed substantially similar to the submitted site plan (including clearing limits and future home placement) and approved the request subject to the remaining ten staff conditions. The motion passed unanimously.