Council approves Pioneer Alley planned unit development and adds neighborhood architectural review safeguard

Charleston City Council on July 15 approved zoning and a planned unit development (PUD) for a collection of lots at 105 Cannon Street, known as Pioneer Alley, and adopted an amendment to the project's architectural guidelines to give the nearby neighborhood association a formal role if the original architect cannot continue.

City planning staff described the site as previously used primarily for parking behind the former Hominy Grill and said the proposal would allow infill development that is intended "to be in keeping with the character" of the Cannonborough-Elliottborough neighborhood. The PUD calls for a mixed-use building at the corner with up to 3.5 stories, about 25 residential and short-term rental units across the site, and up to 5,000 square feet of commercial space at the corner.

The council first voted by voice to approve related items for the site. Later, a council member offered an amendment to the PUD's Appendix 7 architectural guidelines to add a Pioneer Alley architectural review provision and to require a developer-appointed, South Carolina-registered architect as successor should the original architect be unable to continue. The amendment says the neighborhood association would have the ability to make recommendations about any successor and design continuity; the amendment passed with one recorded no vote (Council member Brady).

Planner Joe Morgan (city staff) oriented council to the site, noting the change from the existing 2½–3-story old-city district to a 3½-story old-city district for the parcels involved and showing an overall site layout with the larger corner building, pedestrian and vehicular connections toward Ashley Avenue, and the distribution of residential and mixed-use areas. Todd Richardson, the applicant, thanked council and said the team had worked with the Cannonborough–Elliottborough neighborhood association for more than two years and that 20% of units would be workforce housing. He said, "we're proud to bring 20% of our units to be workforce housing, we're proud to bring much needed neighborhood commercial and to contribute positively to the Cannonborough–Elliottborough District."

The architectural amendment adds a short, single-sheet addition to Appendix 7 naming the Pioneer Alley architectural guidelines and an architectural review board (ARB) mechanism. The amendment text included a provision that, "in the event that Mr. Ramos can no longer serve, either the developer shall appoint another South Carolina registered architect to serve as his successor. Respectively, [the developer] shall appoint successors for Mr. Gold and Graham should they not be able to continue in their role." The amendment was introduced at the meeting and voted on the same night.

Council did not identify a specific enforcement change to the Board of Architectural Review's authority; supporters said the amendment preserves the neighborhood’s ability to recommend and protect the project's design even if ownership or team members change, while the BAR retains ultimate review authority.

The council record shows the PUD and related zoning changes for the Pioneer Alley site advanced with the amendment in place. The transcript indicates broad council support for the project and the neighborhood-protection language but records one dissenting vote to the amendment because the council member objected to receiving last-minute materials at the meeting.

The city package for the items includes maps, the comprehensive-plan land-use designation for the block, and the Appendix 7 sheet with the added Pioneer Alley architectural guideline language. The applicant team referenced architect Ramos and other named team members (Andrew Gobe, Vince Grama, Steve Grama) as part of the design team.

Council members and staff said they would continue to work with the neighborhood and the BAR as design reviews move forward; no final building permits were issued at the meeting and the PUD's future design applications will proceed through the city's standard review processes.

Votes and formal actions on the Pioneer Alley items appear in the council record: item E1 (height change) was approved by voice vote earlier in the meeting; item E2 (PUD adoption) was approved as amended, with one recorded nay (Council member Brady).