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Planning Commission approves garage-to-classroom conversion, waives three parking spaces at 7557 Main Street
Summary
The Sykesville Planning Commission approved a site plan to convert a garage at 7557 Main Street into about 400 sq ft of music-school classroom space and granted a waiver for three required parking spaces, citing nearby public parking and the occasional schedule of large classes.
The Sykesville Planning Commission on June 2 approved a site plan to convert the garage at 7557 Main Street into classroom space for an existing music school and granted a waiver of three parking spaces required under town code.
Kevin, town staff, told the commission the conversion would enclose and finish approximately a 400-square-foot garage to expand the school's classroom space and include interior electrical updates, an ADA-accessible half bathroom, insulation and finished lower-level walls, a separating wall and door between levels, and a mini-split heating/cooling system. He said proposed exterior facade changes had already been approved by the Historic District Commission.
Kevin said the town code requires "one space for each 10 classroom seats" and that the applicant said they would occasionally hold group voice lessons of up to 30 students one to two times per week, which would create a need for three additional spaces under the code. Kevin told the commission staff recommended a waiver of the three spaces, citing the site's central location near townhome parking, public lots and on-street spaces along Main Street, and the infrequent scheduling of larger classes. As Kevin put it to the commission, "Most of them... are during the week. But, you know, not during the weekends when we expect to go to the parking lot to be full."
A motion to approve the site plan and to waive the three additional parking spaces passed with an affirmative vote recorded as unanimous; the motion was seconded. The minutes do not record individual roll-call votes.
The commission's approval applies to the site plan as presented; no additional parking was added to the site plan. The approval allows the applicant to proceed with building permits and required zoning certificates for the interior conversion and associated minor exterior work.
Because the approval included a modification of parking requirements, staff will note the waiver in permit files and the site plan record.
No separate conditions were recorded related to hours of operation beyond the applicant's statement about typical class scheduling.
