BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT MEETING

BOROUGH OF WANAQUE

MINUTES

Regular Meeting
February 3, 2010

Salute to Flag: 8:03 PM.

OPENING STATEMENT:

This is a Regular Meeting of the Wanaque Board of Adjustment and adequate notice has been given and it has been duly advertised by the placement of a notice in the Suburban Trends and Herald News on January 17, 2010 and a notice thereof has been posted on the bulletin board in the Municipal Building and a copy thereof is on file with the Borough Clerk.

ROLL CALL: Chairman Jack Dunning, Vice Chairman William Grygus, Members Frank Covelli (8:04 p.m.), Peter Hoffman, Ed Leonard, Don Ludwig and Eric Willse. Attorney Ronald Mondello, and Engineer Christopher Nash.

MEMBERS ABSENT: Joseph D’Alessio

Application #ZBA-2009-03 Robert & Theresa Reilly, 28 Whistler Place. Block 459 Lot 13 Bulk Variances and Minor Subdivision:
Theresa Reilly, the Applicant, stepped forward and was sworn in by Atty Mondello.

Mrs. Reilly would like to put an addition on the side of the house for her father. It would be a master suite with a bedroom, bathroom and closet.

Atty Mondello discussed that the submitted Application requests a Subdivision and he advised that, if a Subdivision is being requested, this Board would not have jurisdiction to hear it. He has spoken with the Construction Code Official about this and was told you may be amending your Application. Mrs. Reilly advised that the application is being amended tonight and she is withdrawing the Subdivision request. This withdrawal is acceptable to Atty Mondello and the Board Members.

Chairman Dunning and Member Willse asked about the layout of the 20x20 addition. Mrs. Reilly advised there would be a bathroom and closet in the room. On the electrical drawing, the main room shows six light fixtures and the smaller room shows two, but the drawing shows nothing relating to a bathroom. Re-drawing the plan, the bathroom will be on the left side of the smaller room closest to the kitchen with the window being moved to that room out of the closet area. Entrance into the addition will be from the kitchen.

Atty Mondello brought up the fact that there appears to be three sheds or storage facilities shown on the plan; a steel container, and a FR shed (framed shed) and maybe the lean-to, which may or may not be considered storage. Mrs. Reilly advised they are not sheds and one is a truck body. They set up their backyard for a Halloween walk through for the neighborhood and have not cleaned it up yet.

Atty Mondello explained that there is typically one residential storage structure, not in excess of 100 square feet, on a property. Your sheds total 167 ½ feet, which would be okay if there was three separate lots with three separate owners, but your three lots equals one lot because they are in both of your names.

Mrs. Reilly testified that the steel container is going and the smaller of the framed shed right next to it is going. The framed shed right behind the garage is attached to the garage, and the lean-to is an overhang on the garage.

Chairman Dunning asked about the pool on the property. Mrs. Reilly said the pool is being thrown out. It cracked when they were closing it in October.

Chairman Dunning advised since you have a large-paved driveway and an oversized garage there is no issue at this point with the parking. Mrs. Reilly said her father is going blind and would not be driving. Chairman Dunning advised that, when a variance is granted, it runs with the life of the property, not the property owner.

Member Willse asked if they were considering making any accommodations in the main part of the house in the event Mrs. Reilly’s father may become wheelchair bound. They only thought about having the door spaces wide enough in his room for a wheelchair or hospital equipment, if needed. They have not thought about any changes for entering the main house or adding a ramp. Member Willse was bringing up these points since they are planning to do construction in the home and are already before the Board tonight.

Vice Chairman Grygus questioned Engineer Nash about any concerns on storm water run-off given the addition is going to be as close as it is to the neighboring property. Engineer Nash is not concerned.

Member Willse asked that, since the Reillys were removing the pool, were they also removing the concrete that surrounds the pool at the same time. Mrs. Reilly said yes.

Engineer Nash asked how they were going to handle the roof leaders. Mr. Reilly said he was going to have the front leader run into the dry well/french drain he has previously built. There is a stone wall in front of the house with crushed stone behind it and the pipe comes down and runs into that. The back leader pipe will run into the back yard. Member Willse recommended putting the back leader at the junction between the existing house and the addition where the screen porch is. Mr. Reilly agreed to do this. Chairman Dunning said this takes care of storm water management.

Chairman Dunning asked Engineer Nash if there was anything else in his January 25th report that needs to be dealt with. Engineer Nash said a lot of his questions were answered with the pool going away and the sheds going away. They are asking for five variances and four of them are relating to the existing building. The only variance related to the addition is the side yard, which is 4.5 on the new addition side.

A discussion ensued about some of the variances not being needed for the accessory buildings because some were being removed from the property. The accessory buildings related to the sheds and garage. Remove d. and e. from Engineer Nash’s January 25th report.

OPEN TO PUBLIC DISCUSSION: None / Closed

MOTION TO APPROVE THE APPLICATION FOR A 20’ X 20’ ONE STORY ADDITION WITH THE FOLLOWING VARIANCES: MINIMUM LOT WIDTH OF 67’ WHERE 80’ IS REQUIRED BY ORDINANCE FOR A VARIANCE OF 13’; MINIMUM FRONT YARD PROPOSED IS 13.6’ REQUIRED IS 30’ FOR A VARIANCE OF 16.4’; AND A MINIMUM SIDE YARD REQUIRED IS 15’ ON ONE SIDE AND 35’ TOTAL AND PROPOSED IS 4.5’, 22.8’ TOTAL WHICH WOULD BE 10.5’ VARIANCE ON THE ONE SIDE AND 7.2’ VARIANCE TOTAL WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS: THAT THE STEEL CONTAINER AND THE SMALLER FRAMED SHED BE REMOVED AS PER TESTIMONY ALONG WITH THE SWIMMING POOL AND CONCRETE SURROUNDING THE POOL, AND ALSO THAT THE FRONT DOWN SPOUT FOR THE PROPOSED ADDITION BE PIPED INTO THE EXISTING FRONT FRENCH DRAIN SYSTEM AND THE REAR DOWN SPOUT BE RELOCATED TO WHERE THE PROPOSED ADDITION MEETS THE EXISTING STRUCTURE made by Vice Chairman Grygus, seconded by Member Covelli. Voting yes were Chairman Dunning, Vice Chairman Grygus, Members Covelli, Hoffman, Leonard, Ludwig and Willse.

PUBLIC DISCUSSION: None / Closed

RESOLUTIONS: None

CORRESPONDENCE: Vice Chairman Grygus asked about the Board’s Annual Report. Chairman Dunning is working on it.

VOUCHERS: None

MINUTES: from the January 6, 2010 Re-Organization & Regular Meetings.

MOTION TO APPROVE WITH CHANGE ON PAGE 2, EIGHTH PARAGRAPH, THIRD LINE, REMOVE “WILLOW” AND REPLACE WITH “WILL FOLLOW”: made by Member Vice Chairman Grygus, seconded by Member Ludwig. Voting yes were Chairman Dunning, Vice Chairman Grygus, Members Hoffman, Leonard, Ludwig and Willse. Member Covelli abstained.

ENGINEER’S REPORT: Eng. Nash had nothing new to report.

DISCUSSION: Getty Gas Station coming down.

MOTION TO ADJOURN AT 8:40 P.M.: made by Member Ludwig, seconded by Vice Chairman Grygus, and carried by a voice vote.

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Jennifer A. Fiorito
Board of Adjustment Secretary