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Applicants seek retail shop addition to Leeds Manor Art Gallery in Hume; commission to refine outdoor display language
Summary
Owners of Leeds Manor Art Gallery requested a special exception to add a retail shop selling basic foodstuffs and local products, with proposed hours 8 a.m.–9 p.m. daily and an anticipated 20 vehicle trips/day; commissioners asked staff to refine language limiting outdoor storage and permitting porch displays.
Applicants for the Leeds Manor Art Gallery presented a request to amend their existing special exception to include a retail shop use at 5047 Leeds Manor Road in Hume. Staff said the gallery operates in a former 1930s auto repair garage that was adaptively reused under a 2021 approval and that site renovations were completed in 2022. The new request would add limited retail sales (milk, eggs, bread and locally sourced products) without interior or exterior building changes and seeks hours of operation from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. The applicants estimate roughly 20 vehicular trips per day for the combined gallery and shop.
Commission discussion focused on a proposed condition that would prohibit outdoor storage while allowing display of goods. Commissioners asked whether the term "outdoor storage" might be overly broad (covering aesthetic plant displays as well as stacked containers) and whether staff could craft language—consistent with the zoning ordinance—allowing porch displays of goods while prohibiting bulky storage. Staff said they would work with the applicant to refine the wording before the evening meeting to ensure displays are "aesthetically pleasing" and do not permit large, permanent outdoor storage.
Why it matters: The change would permit expanded retail services in a village setting and affect traffic, parking and village appearance. Conditions limiting outdoor storage and specifying display areas will shape how the shop operates and how the village character is preserved.
No final decision was recorded at the work session; staff noted that applicable permits and a site plan would be required prior to commencement of the use.
