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Commission votes to strip proposed garages from Aladdin Terrace remodel after intense neighborhood opposition
Summary
After hours of testimony from neighbors citing the 12'4" alley, loss of shared mid‑block open space and safety concerns, the Planning Commission declined the applicant’s request for garages at 33–35 Aladdin Terrace and approved the residential enlargement without the garage doors.
A deeply contested discretionary review and rear‑yard variance for 33–35 Aladdin Terrace concluded Feb. 1 with the Planning Commission denying the property owners’ request to add street‑facing garages but approving the enlargement and interior reconfiguration after conditions and modifications.
Opposition and rationale: Neighbors and local associations argued the narrow 12'4" alley functions as mid‑block communal open space and that adding garages would increase vehicle maneuvering, noise, pollution and safety risks. Multiple speakers described the alley’s role as “the true yard” for many apartments that lack private open space, and flagged the project as a precedent that would accelerate privatization of public alley space. One opponent summarized that “more garages and more cars do not add to the quality of life; they subtract from it and will destroy the communal open space.”
Sponsor case and aging‑in‑place argument: Owners said the project is designed to allow two senior residents to age in place with an elevator and on‑site parking, and argued a garage would reduce neighborhood backing maneuvers and improve safety. The owners also said they will work with adjacent property managers to coordinate construction staging and reduce impacts.
Commission action: After extended testimony and internal debate about circulation, privacy, construction impacts and precedent, commissioners voted to deny the proposed garages and approve the remainder of the renovation, including a roof hatch and roof deck with setbacks and removal of a penthouse. The Commission also required coordination of construction staging and encouraged the sponsor to work with neighbors and adjacent projects on access and timing.
Why it matters: The decision reflects the Commission’s sensitivity to small‑scale neighborhood character and pedestrian spaces in dense historic neighborhoods. Commissioners and neighbors emphasized that narrow alleys with entrenched pedestrian uses deserve extra scrutiny before new garage entitlements are granted.
