City considers residential variance in commercial zone

The owner of the former Curl Factory at 110 North Fourth Street wants to rent a small space containing a bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, and dining room as a residential unit to derive some income from the vacant space during the COVID shutdown.

City planner Kurt Danison advised that the council would have to go through a hearing process to change the existing code before allowing a residential rental in a commercial building.

“Unless this was used as a residential structure in the last 12 months it is absolutely against our code,” said Danison. “If you allow this you have to allow others. You can’t pick and choose.”

A few years ago, the city did revisit its code when property owners along Lakeview Drive discovered that zoning in their neighborhood had been changed from residential to commercial and so discouraged residential buyers from purchasing there.

Dalbey explained that the property owner is restricted from operating the site as a business due to COVID but cannot sell the property as a house.

City attorney Chuck Zimmerman also cautioned the council about allowing residential use in the core business district.

While no decision was rendered some options remained open for further consideration

Mayor Art Smyth recommended that the owner apply for the variance on her own behalf so officials could conduct a staff review. Public works director Lee Webster also encouraged Dalbey to discuss the issue further with him for more details on the city’s variance process.

In other business the council set May 12 as the hearing date for a variance request at 302 South First Street whose owner is requesting the city to allow a street setback distance if 10 feet rather than the minimum required 15 feet.

The council approved a resolution designating May 2021 as Mental Health Month.

The city approved a Brewster Chamber of Commerce public event application for a dry Fourth of July celebration and parade. Chamber president Mike Mauk explained a different parade route this year that will begin at the city park near Fifth Street and end at the east end of Main Street at the American Legion.

Public Works Director Lee Webster suggested that the city could help with street closures and allow the parade to begin at the west end of Main rather than the park to shorten the walking distance. Mauk liked that idea since the parade would avoid interfering with fishermen traffic in the boat launch/RV park area.

City engineer, J-U-B reported that all the city’s main water line installation is complete with the tie-in at SR 97 and Seventh Street this week that will require temporary traffic rerouting.

Paving at Hospital Way is scheduled to begin in mid-May followed by needed repair work on Bridge Street.

Mayor Smyth asked for more elaboration about the Bridge Street paving and sidewalk repairs. The J-U-B spokesman said weather has been the main obstacle. The paving window runs from late April-early May through October. The contractor is scheduled to return and remove gravel laid down over the winter and begin paving repairs as soon as the temperature window allows. Projections call for the work to be completed by the end of May.

Work on the well house will include pump installation this week and the site should be operational by summer’s end.