The Livingston Zoning Board heard four cases at its May 30 meeting, approving three and adjourning the fourth to its June 25 meeting. Six cases were originally scheduled, but 12 North Ashby Avenue’s hearing was pushed back to June 25 in advance, while the hearing for 9 Westminster Drive was also adjourned to that meeting due to calculation concerns. Additionally, the Board was forced to limit the length of its meeting to an hour due to a water shortage at the Town Hall.
25 Bryant Drive
Pavlos Vanikiotis sought approval for a partially in-ground pool at 25 Bryant Drive, requesting the Board grant him a 4.5-foot variance for its right-side swimming pool setback.
The pool, he said, would be 15 feet by 30 feet. Due to multiple trees hanging over his property, he worried that going out too far might interfere with their root system, thus necessitating the variances.
Vanikiotis also described the pool design as a temporary structure, measuring 2.5 feet above ground and underground. He also assured the Board that his property is already fenced in and, by local ordinance, he is not allowed to build anything around the pool.
After questioning Vanikiotis about thepool’smeasurements andwhether it would have any detrimental effect on neighboring homes, the Board approved his application.
12 Twin Oak Road
Andrew Edwards asked the Board for five variances to build a side and rear addition at 12 Twin Oak Road, including two front yard setbacks, a side yard setback, an aggregate side yard, and the habitable floor ratio.
His architect witness, Souleymane Dembele, described the property as a comer lot measuring 50 feet wide by 125 feet deep, with a two-story home built on it. The building has some (Continued on Page A-6) (Continued from Page A-1) existing non-compliant setbacks, including a front yard 30.9 feet where 40 feet is required, a right side yard of 6.4 feet where ten is required, and a left side yard 5.4 feet where 20 feet is required. However, Dembele added that the rear yard is more than compliant and, for this project, Edwards wished to fill in the corner, make a garage extension, and extend the building back to the rear yard.
Dembele then presented the Board with floor plans for 12 Twin Oak Road. Existing features included a living room and dining room, a kitchen, a basement with utilities, and three small bedrooms and a bathroom on the top floor. Garage additions included a low step while the corner additions would allow Edwards to build a low office space and bathroom. The kitchen will be pushed to the back of the house, while the second floor will receive a master bedroom, three regular bedrooms, and two bathrooms. These additions, Dembele said, will ultimately improve the building without any negative impact on the neighborhood, noting that homes in the area possess similar setbacks.
Following questions, the Board praised Edwards and Dembele’s renovation additions while recognizing their struggles with the nonconforming setbacks. A motion to approve Edwards’ variances passed.
13 Walnut Street
245 Passaic LLC asked the Board for approval to build a new singlefamily dwelling on 13 Walnut Street and re-orient the front of the home so that it faces Old Road. Their variances, meanwhile, included approximately 40 feet for both the front yard and rear yard setbacks on the property. Following opening testimony by attorney Stacy Santola, architect Pietro Rosato took the stand as 245 Passaic LLC’s sole witness. The goal of this plan, he explained, was to expand the 1,335-square-foot home with a onestory addition on its east side measuring 1,262 square feet, coinciding with the front entrance’s relocation and development of a new two-car garage.
The required front-yard setback for this lot, Rosato added, is 60 feet, but only 17.40 feet exists, creating a non-conforming condition. 7.88 feet exists for the rear yard setback, while the required length is 50 feet; likewise, the standard lot size required is 125 feet by 200, and they only have 61.12 feet by 202.58 feet. Internally, the house’s two bedrooms and bathroom will be slightly modified to fit new closets, as well as a new laundry room on that level. A fourth bedroom will be added to the house’s rear, while a new cover porch and foyer will be added to its lower levels. These additions, Rosato said, will not pose any detriment to the neighborhood and, in fact, will enhance its appeal.
Rosato and Santola then presented the Board with satellite imagery of Walnut Street and Old Road to demonstrate where these new additions will be placed. Rosato also noted that, while the client does not want to retain the initial front door as a false door, they will keep it if required. They also plan to re-landscape the property due to a lack of well-maintained trees and shrubbery.
They then answered questions from the Board such as whether they would put in a sidewalk and whether the attic would be used for living space. Both the attic’s functions and evergreen foresting were ultimately made part of the conditions for 245 Passaic LLC, should the Board approve their requests.
A motion to approve the plan passed.
11 Ridgewood Drive
Jason Sharenow sought approval for a two-story addition and front porch at 11 Ridgewood Drive, as well as to replace the house’s existing deck. His variance requests included an 1,141-square-foot variance for the property’s habitable floor area and a 7.8 percent variance for its habitable floor ratio.
His witness, architect Douglas Miller, explained that Sharenow and his wife Ariel wanted to modernize the house from its 50s-era design. At 14,500 square feet, it is slightly smaller than the R3 zone’s required 15,000 square feet measurements, necessitating the setbacks along with an aggregate side yard setback.
Some floor plan choices included squaring off the home’s right rear corner, removing its glass conservatory, and modifying the deck to be smaller. A corner of the kitchen will also be squared off to open up the floor plan, while some of the upper bedroom and bathroom space will be converted into a “work from home” study space. The couple also want to create two ensuite bedrooms for their children over the kitchen/dining section of the house.
The Board, however, believed that even in an R3 zone, these plans felt a bit too oversized for 11 Ridgewood Drive’s lot. Sharenow and Miller were then asked to adjust their plans’ mass and present it again at the June 25 Zoning Board meeting.
