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Board postpones garage‑to‑studio conversion at 712 South Connecticut amid precedent concerns
Summary
A proposal to expand a detached garage into a studio with utilities at 712 South Connecticut — which staff warned could be easily converted into a dwelling — was postponed after board members raised long‑term neighborhood and precedent concerns.
The Zoning Board postponed action on a proposal to add a 240‑square‑foot second level and utilities to a detached garage at 712 South Connecticut after members expressed concern that allowing the combination of utilities could set a precedent for creating a de‑facto second dwelling on single‑family lots.
Staff told the board that the project would add plumbing and a water heater to an accessory structure and that minor modifications could allow the space to be converted into a separate dwelling; the petitioner therefore sought multiple variances, including a use variance to permit conversion, a lot‑area waiver, a height variance (proposed midpoint measured at 19.4 feet vs. the 15‑foot limit), and a side‑yard setback variance.
Architect Blake Adderman said the team studied many alternatives — renovating a basement or adding to the house — and concluded the garage expansion best preserved backyard space and avoided additional variances on the principal dwelling. The project’s intended primary user, identified in the record as Kimberly, said she is a children’s author and illustrator who needs a studio with water access and has spoken with neighbors, who she said support the proposal.
Several board members raised concerns about long‑term effects: one member worried allowing such conversions could change the character of single‑family neighborhoods and lead to poorly maintained secondary units over time. A motion to grant one variance failed for lack of a second; a subsequent motion to postpone until the board is at full strength passed by voice vote.
Next steps: The petitioner may return next month when more board members are present; staff emphasized the significance of the use variance because approval tonight would permit a structure that could be converted into a separate dwelling.
