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Commission split on proposed South Third garage; application continued for redesign
Summary
The commission debated COA 2600217637 at length over whether an attached two‑car garage with connector suits Third Street’s streetscape; commissioners were divided and asked the applicant to revise massing, roof form and landscaping before returning.
A contested application for a rear addition and two‑car garage at a South Third Street house prompted one of the meeting’s longest exchanges on April 1, highlighting tensions between homeowners’ program needs and German Village design guidance.
Applicants Jenny and Jonathan Barnes presented COA 2600217637 for a single‑story rear addition with a two‑car garage and connector. Commissioners examined guidelines preferring detached garages and rear‑obscured parking, questioned the garage’s scale and roof form, and raised streetscape and green‑space concerns. Several commissioners said the proposal as drawn reads as an attached garage that would dominate the house’s rear plane and the public view; others said a carefully recessed connector, reduced roof height (or flat roof articulation) and added landscaping could make an attached solution acceptable.
Commissioner comments focused on massing, roof pitch, turning radius and historic precedent. One commissioner called the proposal “uncharacteristic of Third Street” and opposed approving any attached garage in that exact location; others suggested design changes (lowered roof, flatter front plane, added plantings) or moving the garage back to approximate an historic foundation that exists on site. The applicants indicated they had completed vehicle turning‑radius analysis for zoning review and expressed willingness to revise the design.
After extended discussion, the commission voted to continue the application to allow the applicant to revise drawings addressing garage visibility, massing and landscape mitigation. Staff and commissioners recommended the applicant explore a lower roof profile (flat roof option), reduce the perceived height of the garage façade, increase landscaping to obscure the connector, and, where feasible, align the new garage with the footprint of the historic garage foundation.
Next steps: applicant to return with revised plans and clearer site sections showing visual impact from Third Street and proposed plantings; commission flagged possible BZA/zoning review depending on setback needs.
