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Commission backs amended plan for two Hanover Ave lots, allows four attached homes and limited ADUs
Summary
After rounds of neighbor input, the Planning Commission voted to forward to council a special-use permit that creates two existing detached homes plus four attached homes on 3801–3803 Hanover Avenue, and included an amendment to permit accessory dwelling units (ADUs) for those new lots with specific setback and size limits.
The commission voted to forward to City Council a recommendation to approve a special-use permit for 3801 and 3803 Hanover Avenue that, as amended, authorizes two existing single-family detached dwellings plus four new single-family attached dwellings fronting Hamilton Street. The motion also included a staff-recommended provision allowing accessory dwelling units (ADUs) on the new lots subject to typical ADU limits (maximum one-third the size of the principal dwelling, max 20-foot height) and a modified setback consistent with the submitted plans.
Planning staff said the property is in the R5 district and that the site is adjacent to a major mixed-use street. Staff recommended approval of an amended plan that reduced prior proposals (8 attached units then 6 detached units) to the current four attached plus the two existing homes. The staff presentation noted the proposed density is higher than the typical 2–10 units per acre guidance for some residential areas but concluded the site’s location on a major mixed-use street and proximity to Carytown/Kerrytown node made the proposal compatible as a transition in building type.
Applicant Alessandro Regazzi said the current submission reflects neighborhood input and that the amendment to permit ADUs would follow the city’s ADU standards (size and height limits) but require a waiver of a 100-foot front-yard setback that would otherwise block detached ADUs on the lots because the new lots face two streets.
Neighbors who spoke opposed the initial higher-density versions but several said they would accept the four-unit Hamilton-facing plan if the final ordinance enumerated the submitted plans and required strict adherence during development. Beau Ballden, representing Hanover Avenue residents, asked the commission to include specific plat, elevations and assurances that the city would inspect and enforce adherence to those plans; in response commissioners acknowledged neighbors’ concerns and the record reflects those requests.
The motion to forward to City Council included three explicit elements: adopt amended plans dated 07/07/2025 showing four attached units and two existing detached homes; remove a requirement for private trash collection; and add a condition that ADUs are permitted in compliance with ADU standards but with the reduced setback shown on the submitted plans. The commission approved the amended recommendation unanimously.
Speakers quoted in this article are recorded in the commission transcript and are listed in the article’s speaker section.
