Homeowner tells board pine trees and hail damaged cars as reason for carport

Michelle Diani, the homeowner and applicant for Variance No. 26‑12 at 113 Hughes Street, described personal and property reasons for the requested carport. She said she and her family have lived in the house since 2005 and that mature pine trees drop debris and have contributed to vehicle damage, including hail, which she said has forced vehicle replacements.

"Such as hail, like, which we've had multiple times, like, we've had to replace our cars," Diani said, explaining the motivation to add a carport. She told the board she had sought tree‑removal estimates that ran about $5,000–$6,000 per tree and that removing trees would diminish shade and was not an ideal solution. Diani also described the existing garage as shallow and partly converted to living space, reducing its usefulness for vehicle protection.

Diani said she had shown neighbors the plans, described the proposed carport as attached to the roofline and designed to match the house, and said she believed most immediate neighbors supported the proposal. She acknowledged that public notification rounds produced differing response counts because the hearing had been rescheduled multiple times.

During questioning, Diani provided rough measurements for the proposed carport placement (about 15–17 feet from the street in places) and reiterated the personal hardship argument — that protecting vehicles and preserving the family’s home justified the variance request.