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Commission debates metal carports after applicant withdraws nonconforming structure application
Summary
After staff told commissioners a 720 sq ft prefabricated metal carport at 443 Thomas Hayward was erected without a COFA or building permit and did not meet UDO design standards, the applicant withdrew the application; commissioners held a broader workshop on whether the UDO should provide a path for limited open‑air carports in Old Town.
Beaufort County Historic Preservation Commission members signaled strong reservations about a large prefabricated metal carport in the Old Town historic district and on Wednesday accepted the applicant’s decision to withdraw the associated COFA application.
Staff told the commission the structure at 443 Thomas Hayward — identified in staff materials as about 720 square feet — had been erected without COFA approval or a building permit. "It was erected without COFA being approved and without a building permit," the staff member said, adding the structure encroached two feet into the side‑yard setback and exposed metal bracing and fascia that do not meet the UDO’s visual compatibility requirements.
Commissioners described the existing prefabricated building as difficult to make consistent with UDO guidance. One commissioner summarized the problem as both a scale and detailing issue, noting that a prefabricated metal shell with closely spaced columns lacks the traditional material joinery and base detail the code expects. Staff and commissioners pointed to safety and permitting concerns — including whether the structure is properly anchored — while emphasizing that the commission’s focus is aesthetics and conformance to the UDO rather than building code enforcement.
The applicant defended the decision to erect a prefabricated structure as a practical, existing solution and said the building had been designed for high wind loads. "I'm gonna have a structure there eventually, whether it's stick built, whether it's this, or something else," the applicant said. After extended discussion about the difficulty and expense of retrofitting the prefabricated building to meet design standards, the applicant announced they would withdraw the application.
The meeting also included a staff‑led workshop on a text amendment submitted to the planning commission that would consider allowing certain metal carports in Old Town under a prescribed set of design standards. Staff told the commission that planning commission review begins in December and that an initial town‑council reading could occur in February with final action later in the spring. Commissioners offered mixed views: some suggested limited, wood‑framed or appropriately detailed open‑air structures could be acceptable in some contexts; others warned against broad authorization of large prefabricated metal buildings because that could set a precedent allowing oversized accessory structures on small lots.
The applicant withdrew the COFA application during the hearing; staff said the applicant could return with a new stick‑built design or follow any outcomes from the pending UDO text amendment process if the town ultimately changes the code.
