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Commission approves retroactive certificate for Phillips Community pump house
Summary
The commission granted retroactive approval for a 160-square-foot pump house in the Phillips Community Historic District after staff concluded the accessory structure aligns with district character; the applicant said the building grew to accommodate equipment and apologized for the oversight.
The Historic Preservation Commission approved a retroactive certificate of historic appropriateness for a 160-square-foot pump house and a small shed at 2948 Canyon Lane in the Phillips Community Historic District.
Planner Monica Eustis presented the application, explained the property context within the Phillips Community (a locally designated district), and said that accessory structures of comparable height, scale and mass are common in the area. Staff reported the structure was initially depicted as under the zoning threshold for a permit, but a site visit showed the pump house measured 10 by 16 feet and therefore required a zoning permit and CHA review; staff recommended approval with the standard condition that major changes follow the ordinance.
Applicant Dietrich Stelgens described the pump house’s function — housing a pump, filtration system and a reverse‑osmosis tank — and said the building expanded in size during construction to accommodate equipment and storage. "I started off as a 10 by 10, and it went 10 by 16 to give me some room for the larger tank to go in there," Stelgens said, apologizing for the discrepancy and explaining why the structure is larger than initially anticipated.
A motion to approve the retroactive CHA was made and seconded and passed by roll call. The commission provided the standard appeal instructions to the circuit court of Charleston County.
