City council gave the go-ahead Tuesday to public hearings on two carriage houses near South Kamloops secondary.

First Coun. Donovan Cavers’s mother had an application for her Dominion Street home.

Cavers removed himself from the discussion, as did Coun. Marg Spina (she’s a neighbour) and Coun. Tina Lange (she owns rental houses).

City development and engineering services director Marvin Kwiwatkowski said staff recommended the application go to a public hearing.

The plan included a two-storey building off the back alley with three parking stalls, solar panels on the roof and hardy plank siding.

Coun. Nelly Dever noted the lane is narrow, which could making parking on either side of the carriage house tight.

Kwiatkowski said parking off the lane is common with carriage houses and the lane is the norm for the downtown area.

The motion to go to public hearing was passed unanimously by Mayor Peter Milobar and councillors Pat Wallace, Nancy Bepple, Arjun Singh and Bepple. Ken Christian was absent.

A second carriage house application followed, at 1071 Seventh Ave. This time, Lange and Cavers sat out but Spina stayed.

Kwiatkowski said the lot is an unusual L shape and was zoned 12  years ago for a secondary suite that was never built.

Now the owners want to put a carriage suite above their two-car garage.

He said staff support the application because it meets with the City’s goal to in-fill and it meets guidelines.

Council voted unanimously to go to public hearing.