A squabble between neighbors could have far-reaching consequences for many of Savannah’s downtown house museums.
It started with the owners of the Harper-Fowlkes House, the Society of the Cincinnati’s Savannah headquarters located on Orleans Square. They sought a zoning amendment recommendation Tuesday from the Chatham County-Savannah Metropolitan Planning Commission.
The MPC board declined to vote on the petition, continuing the issue to the Aug. 6 meeting. The amendment will ultimately have to be approved by Savannah City Council.
The change would make legal a popular — yet technically unlawful — property use practiced at many historic district homes, including the Harper-Fowlkes House, Davenport House and the Owens Thomas House, as well as Trustees Garden.
At issue is the leasing of space for private events, such as parties and wedding receptions.
That use falls under the “Assembly Hall” definition in the Savannah Zoning Ordinance. The use was not included in several of the mixed-use residential districts downtown when the ordinance was crafted in the 1960s.
The error was one of omission, MPC staffers believe, because similar uses, such as restaurants with outdoor seating, are allowed in the district. The city of Savannah’s zoning department has long followed that lead, enforcing the prohibition only in response to complaints.
But a neighborhood uprising against the Harper-Fowlkes House Trustees has made the assembly hall use an issue.
The group, which inherited the house from Ada Harper-Fowlkes upon her death in 1985, began booking the home and its courtyard for events two years ago. The funds go toward maintenance of the house.
Nearby residents, particularly those across Perry Street from the Harper-Fowlkes House, bristled at the loud bands and deejays who entertained at the events, as well as the noise created by the setup and teardown for the gatherings.
“The house that once had been a hallowed hall became a setting for loud, even raucous parties, in the courtyard,” neighbor Gay Stevens told the MPC.
The slew of neighbors’ complaints led the Harper-Fowlkes House in February to stop booking events that require amplified noise. Yet the neighbors were so “fed up” with the house manager’s disregard for their quality of life they challenged an April wedding and spurred the city into action.
The city cited Harper-Fowlkes House Trustees for breaking the zoning ordinance, and that case was referred to Recorder’s Court. The trustees responded by seeking the ordinance change.
“It’s a nice thing to be able to come to Savannah and use these houses, and it is a help to the houses in terms of income,” said Dolly Chisholm, who represented the Harper-Fowlkes House Trustees at Tuesday’s meeting. “But it is noise and disruptive to the neighbors.”
The trustees included provisions in their petition to address the noise issues, setting hours for the music, as well as for delivery, breakdown and pickup of equipment and confining deliveries to two-way streets.
The proposed restrictions did little to placate the neighbors, who cited past incidents for a lack of trust.
The proposed amendment “doesn’t protect the neighbors,” said attorney Dana Braun, who spoke on behalf of nearby residents. “The neighbors are protected now because they are not allowed to do this under the ordinance.”
The issue and its impact beyond the Orleans Square area gave the MPC board pause and resulted in the vote for a continuance. The MPC staff will explore options beyond simply amending the ordinance to allow the use and present those at the Aug. 6 meeting.
The best likely option, said MPC staffers, is to add the assembly hall definition as a special use for properties in the district. Doing so would require property owners to petition the Zoning Board of Appeals for permission to utilize the use before doing so.
“That would give the zoning board the ability to tailor the use to specific locations,” MPC Executive Director Tom Thomson said. “That way, if the neighbors in one place have a problem but those in another don’t, it doesn’t come down on everybody.”