Babas on Wentworth

Harleston Village Association Statement of Support to Charleston's Board of Zoning Appeals

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Harleston Village Association

P.O. Box 584, Charleston, SC. 29402

December 20, 2024

Mr. Jeff Tibbal

BZA-Z Chair

City of Charleston Board of Zoning Appeals – Zoning

2 George Street

Charleston, SC 29401

Re: 115 ½ Wentworth Zoning Exception - Parking

Dear Mr. Jeff Tibbal :

We are writing in response to the request for public comment regarding “Babas at Wentworth” and their application for a zoning exception at 115 ½ Wentworth Street. The proposed use as a restaurant aligns with the current Limited Business zoning designation. However, the exception seeks to reduce the required parking spaces from nine to four, based on the establishment’s patron area, both inside and outside. As we understand it, the zoning ordinance requires one parking space per 100 square feet of interior patron space and one per 130 square feet of exterior patron space.

The architect and owners presented their plans to us on December 19, 2024. Babas currently operates two other small, urban locations in Charleston—on Cannon and Meeting Streets.

Our committee supports their exception request. The area around the property is a mix of commercial, parking, and diverse residential uses, including multi-family apartments and a B&B directly across the street. The location is also just one block from General Business uses, such as College of Charleston properties, and is adjacent to Grace Church’s parking lot.

While the reduced parking availability (four spaces instead of nine) may slightly increase demand for on-street parking which is already constrained, we believe the impact will be minimal. The location’s proximity to downtown, walking customers, and the immense benefits to the neighborhood of renovating the current blighted, vacant commercial structure outweigh concerns about parking.

We respectfully urge the Zoning Board to approve this request.

Sincerely,

Harleston Planning & Zoning Committee