Board approves Sisters of St. Joseph 'mother house' project with height variance, tree removals and HARB review to follow

The Planning & Zoning Board approved a package of land‑use actions for the Sisters of St. Joseph to erect a new mother house on a portion of their campus at 241 St. George Street (application 2025‑0053). The board granted a use‑by‑exception for expansion of church facilities within the HP‑1 zoning district, variances for maximum building size and impervious coverage, a front‑setback variance along St. George Street, and permission under Conservation Overlay Zone 3 to remove four significant trees on the site. The board also approved a zoning‑height allowance up to 49 feet for parts of the new structure to allow the project team flexibility to meet accessibility and storm‑resilience needs.

Project description and purpose: The Sisters propose a new three‑story mother house on the northern portion of a two‑and‑a‑half acre block. The applicant presented renderings and a site plan showing a U‑shaped building with a covered drop‑off and elevator to provide ADA access for residents, and a consolidated campus layout that would allow the southern parcel to remain as the existing campus. The team said the maximum vertical element (elevator/stair) would reach about 47 feet in the design submitted at the hearing; the board approved up to 49 feet to give the design flexibility to raise finished floors and meet resilience objectives.

Tree removals and mitigation: Staff and the applicant identified four significant trees for removal: a 19‑inch pecan with dieback and codominant leaders, a 25‑inch live oak with minor canopy dieback, and two red cedars with dieback and structural concerns. The applicant’s arborist and landscape plans were entered into the record; the applicant proposed mitigation plantings and a landscape plan that staff said meets code mitigation requirements for Conservation Overlay Zone 3.

Public and board comment: Public comment included requests to save a large live oak if possible and concern about the structure’s mass and its scale relative to surrounding houses on St. George Street. Board members noted the site formerly contained Saint Joseph’s Academy, a much larger structure demolished decades ago, and weighed historic scale against the sisters’ stated need for accessibility and safety. Several board members acknowledged HARB’s continuing design review authority and observed that the board’s zoning approval sets the envelope while HARB will address architectural details.

Motion and vote: The board approved the application (use‑by‑exception, variances and Conservation Overlay removal) and set the maximum building height to 49 feet for zoning purposes. Roll call: Mike Davis — yes; Carl Blow — yes; Susan Johns — yes; Matthew Schafer — yes; Charles Pappas — yes; Ashley Barnes — yes.

Conditions and next steps: The board’s zoning approvals establish the legal dimensional envelope. HARB retains authority over design details and may require additional façade or roof changes; any changes that would require further zoning relief must return to the PZB. The applicant must implement the approved mitigation plantings and comply with conservation and buffer standards in the written order; the board and staff encouraged the project team to raise the finished‑floor elevation where feasible to improve flood resilience. The board’s approval preserves the sisters’ ability to meet ADA needs while maintaining HARB review for final design.