The City of Canandaigua Zoning Board of Appeals approved two variance requests at its October 15 meeting, clearing the way for a parking expansion on South Main Street and the reconstruction of a two-family home on Gorham Street. Both applications were approved unanimously after extended discussion about neighborhood character, drainage, and property use.
The first request, from Cameron Jones of M Squared Real Estate Ventures, sought an area variance to expand the parking lot at 300 South Main Street to 4,000 square feet — about 30% of the property’s total lot area. City code limits residential parking areas to 20%.
Jones told the board the project was needed to repair and expand a deteriorated parking lot serving four rental units, where tenants had complained about large potholes and uneven pavement. The proposal adds eight new parking spaces and replaces aging asphalt that had become difficult to maintain.
Board members agreed the work would improve the property’s appearance and functionality. Some discussion centered on the loss of green space and potential runoff, but staff explained that drainage details would be handled during the building-permit process.
“The issue with rental housing in the city is usually too little parking, not too much,” one board member said, noting that the project would preserve grass along the front of the property to maintain the look of South Main Street. The variance was approved 7–0.
The second application, from VP Canal Street LLC, requested a use variance to rebuild a two-family home at 157 Gorham Street. The previous duplex had been demolished after it was deemed structurally unsound. Architect Richard Kropp said the replacement structure would sit on the same footprint, match the scale of the original building, and remain consistent with the surrounding residential neighborhood.
Board members found that a single-family replacement would not provide a reasonable return and agreed the hardship was not self-created, since the property had been used as a two-family dwelling long before current zoning took effect. The new building will feature a similar footprint but modern code-compliant construction and higher ceilings. That variance was also approved 7–0.
The meeting concluded with a brief discussion about board membership. Several members will reach term limits in early 2026, and city staff said at least one new appointment will be needed in the coming year.
Both approved projects will move to the permitting and construction phase later this fall.
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