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Concept plan for nine‑unit townhouse behind DePuy Mansion draws traffic and design questions
Summary
A developer presented a conceptual proposal to tuck a multihouse townhouse row behind the Chauncey DePuy Mansion at 660 Main Street. Commissioners raised issues about topography, emergency access, informal shared driveways, potential easement formalization, and recommended reducing to eight units to avoid variances or introducing terraced/stepped massing to break up the building's 'motel‑like' appearance.
The planning commission reviewed a conceptual submission to build a three‑story, up to nine‑unit townhouse complex behind the Chauncey DePuy Mansion at 660 Main Street. The applicant presented renderings and a landscape plan intended to soften the view from Main Street; commissioners and neighbors questioned emergency access, informal private easement use, steep slopes and likely rock excavation. Staff and the architect discussed the potential need for area variances if the applicant pursues a ninth unit and requested additional elevation sections and renderings from the perspective of the DePuy Mansion and Main Street before any final action.
Commissioners suggested design changes to avoid a linear, motel‑like appearance—options included terracing, color variation or stepping units forward/back to create a less monolithic form. The board also asked the applicant to research easement language, maintenance responsibilities for the private lane, snow‑plow and emergency‑vehicle access, and to coordinate with the city engineer and fire chief on access for emergency apparatus before returning with revised drawings.
