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Commission approves carriage-house COA at 17 Lawrence Street, requires driveway revisions to protect live oak
Summary
The commission approved a COA for a two-story carriage house at 17 Lawrence Street with conditions including staff review of a revised driveway plan to protect a 42-inch live oak, specified corner-board treatments and bracket details; the applicant agreed to provide required drawings and a landscape/arborist plan.
The Beaufort County Historic Preservation Commission approved a Certificate of Appropriateness for a two-story carriage house at 17 Lawrence Street in Old Town Bluffton, subject to staff conditions designed to protect an existing 42-inch live oak and to clarify certain architectural details.
Staff told the commission the site has an unusual lot shape and that the proposed carriage house would include two vehicular bays. Because a large live oak stands near the proposed bays, staff required that the driveway be reconfigured and submitted for staff review (including landscape/arborist input) to ensure the tree is not harmed. Staff’s recommendation listed five conditions: show driveway reconfiguration for access, provide a top rail minimum of 2.75 inches (the commission later clarified how that is to be handled), provide a beaded or 0.25-inch round-inset trim for corner boards (or match existing), identify soffit material and configuration, and show all building materials on the plan (including doors and windows).
Architect Chris Fritz said the wrong elevation file had been used for part of the presentation but confirmed the application’s intent: wood windows as submitted, pressure-treated exposed eaves, and that a landscape architect and arborist could provide a revised driveway plan to minimize impacts to the tree. Fritz offered to provide bracket details and to refine the elevations and wall sections as requested.
A motion to approve the project with staff recommendations (with amendments clarifying corner-board matching and staff-level driveway review) passed by voice vote. The commission’s approval requires the applicant to submit the specified materials and the revised driveway/landscape plan for administrative review and verification by staff.
