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Design reviews for 107 and 108 Twentieth Ave prompt debate over front‑facing garage doors and porch design
Summary
Design review of two proposed rebuilds in Pass‑a‑Grille focused on whether garage doors should face the street or alleys, how porches/stoops should be configured under flood elevation rules, and minor zoning issues including AC unit placement and setbacks.
The board reviewed design proposals for new homes at 107 and 108 Twentieth Avenue during the June 5 meeting, and discussion centered on the buildings’ ground‑level treatments, porch/stoop configuration and whether garage doors should face front yards or alleys.
Community Development staff said the 107 Twentieth Avenue proposal meets basic front setback requirements but lacks a “defined porch or stoop,” an element the design guidance calls a required primary frontage feature. The consultant recommended masking the elevated ground floor with a porch or stoop element and matching cladding and paint so the ground level reads consistently with the upper floors.
Architect/designer Mark Strojewski of Sherpa Design Build explained the family’s intent for 107 Twentieth Avenue. He said the owners — a young family who used the property as a primary residence before storm damage — “wanted to be able to have a large door. In this case, it’s a garage door. Something where they could open it up and feel like the front yard is connected to the backyard because it’s such a small lot.” He added the homeowners gather in the front yard and wanted easier access for beach wagons and storage.
Several board members raised aesthetic and precedent concerns about the visual prominence of garage doors on the front façade. One member said the community preference is to “hide the garage doors” and use alleys for vehicle access so the street face reads as pedestrian‑oriented. Staff noted landscaping and a required low privacy wall in front will moderate the appearance, and the designer said the garage doors could be styled or replaced with patio/French doors if needed.
For 108 Twentieth Avenue (a two‑family proposal), staff reported zoning items to resolve including AC unit encroachments into side setbacks, driveway width limits, and floodplain restrictions that prohibit certain living uses on the ground floor. Owner Walter Soa described design revisions he plans based on the board’s feedback and asked the board to comment on whether an open carport (improving alley visibility) or a block wall at the rear garage is preferable; board members favored keeping the rear access open where feasible for safety and visibility.
Staff recommended several minor refinements — e.g., window arrangement consistent with Code section 20.22(b)(1), a defined stoop, screened AC relocation to rooftops — and offered to work with applicants on square footage accounting and zoning compliance before permits are issued. The board did not take formal action; members provided recommendations for the applicants to adopt before returning to permitting.
