20180828 Zoning Board of Adjustment Minutes

VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD

BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT

Meeting Minutes

AUGUST 28, 2018

Opening:

The regular meeting of the Zoning Board of Adjustment of the Village of Ridgewood was called to order at 7:40 p.m.

Present:       Greg Brown, Gary Negrycz, Diana Ruhl, Alyssa Matthews, Ines Bunza and Jonathan Papietro. Also present were Ben Cascio, Esq., substituting for Bruce Whitaker, Esq., Board Attorney and Jane Wondergem, Board Secretary. 

Absent:        Sergio Alegre, Isaac Lebow

Approval of minutes:       The minutes from April 10, 2018 were approved.

Non-agenda items:

          Board member comments: There were no comments at this time.

          Members of the public comments: There were no comments at this time.

 The resolution of approval for the Van Dyk Healthcare, Inc. subdivision approval was memorialized. Adam Faiella, Esq., was present on behalf of the applicant.

Public hearings

Vice Chairman Brown announced that the following:

-        309 WestgateAssociates, LLC was carried to September 25, 2018, without further notice.

-        Boroughs Poole, LLC was carried to September 11, 2018, without further notice.

Old Business:

JOANN ALVAREZ WEBB – An application to permit the construction of a dormer to the same dimensions of the existing dormer on the other side which will result in an expansion of a nonconforming structure; and a building height of 32.5 feet, where 30 feet is permitted; front yard setback of 28 feet, where 45 feet is required; for the Property located at 482 Sterling Place, Block 3106, Lot 7, in the R-2 Zone. Joann Alvarez Webb, homeowner, was sworn. Liborio Derario was sworn and his credentials as a licensed architect accepted. Mr. Derario testified regarding the proposed addition and the variances being requested. Board members had questions regarding the numbers and it was determined that there were discrepancies. The hearing was carried to September 25, 2018, without further notice.

JIM & EILEEN HEUER – An application to permit the construction of a second story addition which will result in  gross building area of 37.14%/3,092 square feet, where 35%/2,856 square feet is permitted at 441 Farview Street, Block 1703, Lot 6, in the R-2 Zone. James and Eileen Heuer, homeowners, were sworn. Mr. Heuer stated that they brought the same application to the Board in 2013 and were approved but never submitted for the permit, therefore, the variance approval expired. Mr. Heuer testified regarding the proposed improvements and the variance being requested. Board members asked about the hardship and if other options were considered. Mr. Heuer explained that the lot is nonconforming in size and they are not increasing lot coverage. There were no questions or comments from the public. Following Board deliberation, Ms. Ruhl made a motion to approve, Mr. Papietro seconded, and the application was approved with 5 members voting yes to approve and 1 opposed.

ALEN & STEPHANIE ESENDIR – An application to construct an attic dormer which will result in a front yard setback of 35.1 feet, where 40 feet is required at 497 Alpine Terrace, Block 1606, Lot 46, in the R-2 Zone. Ms. Ruhl recused herself from this hearing. Stephanie Esendir, homeowner, was sworn. Roger Schlicht was sworn and his credentials as a licensed architect accepted. Mr. Schlicht distributed a page of photos showing the existing conditions which was marked as Exhibit A-1. Mr. Schlicht testified as to what is existing and what is being proposed. There were questions from the Board regarding the 2005 resolution and what was built and what is shown on the drawings. After Board discussion the hearing was carried to give the applicant time to clarify that what is being proposed has no bearing on the prior variance approval. The hearing was carried to October 9 without further notice.

RICHARD & ANDREA LEONARZ – An application to permit the construction of a second story addition which will result in a building height of 30.8 feet, where 30 feet is permitted; rear yard setback of 8.79 feet, where 30 feet is required; coverage by above-grade structures of 21.2%, where 20% is permitted, coverage by improvements of 45.5%, where 45% is permitted, and gross building area of 35.6%/2,991 square feet, where 35%/2,945 square feet is permitted at 23 Southern Parkway, Block 4005, Lot 38, in the R-2 Zone. Richard and Andrea, homeowners, were sworn. John Musinski was sworn and his credentials as a licensed architect accepted. Mr. Musinski testified as to the existing conditions and what is being proposed according to his drawings, revised to 5/31/18.  Board members had questions regarding what is existing and if a variance had been previously approved. Mr. Musinski said there was no prior Board action. Board members had questions regarding the height and the gross building area. After further discussion the hearing was carried to September 25, 2018, without further notice.

LEVENT OKUMUS – An application to permit the construction of a front entry way which will result in a front yard setback of 27.2 feet, where 40 feet is required at 291 Midvale Street, Block 2317, Lot 17, in the R-2 Zone. Nassir Almukhtar was sworn and his credentials as a licensed architect accepted. Levent Okumus, homeowner, was sworn. Mr. Almukhtar testified regarding the existing and proposed layout. Board members had concerns about how the front yard setback would be more forward than the neighboring houses and that the proposed addition did not look like a front entry. The hearing was carried to October 23, 2018, without further notice.

JAMES WOODS & ANNA MEINARDI – An application to permit the construction of a covered back patio which will result in a side yard setback of 13.8 feet, where 17.9 feet is required at 139 Glenwood Road, Block 1402, Lot 18.01, in the R-1 Zone. Anna Meinardi, homeowner, was sworn and testified regarding the proposed covered patio. Board members asked if the existing patio was being changed and Ms. Meinardi stated that it was being squared off. Board members had concerns about it being enclosed and Ms. Meinardi stated she would stipulate that it would never be enclosed. There were no questions or comments from the public. Following Board deliberation Mr. Negrycz made a motion to approve, Mr. Papietro seconded, and all members voted yes to approve the application.

Resolution memorialization:     The following resolutions were memorialized:

                    McDonnell, 372 Shelbourne Terrace

                    Kerner, 27 John Street

Meeting was adjourned at 10:00 p.m.

Minutes submitted by:  Jane Wondergem, Board Secretary

Date Approved:       January 8, 2019