20220111 - Zoning Board of Adjustment Minutes

VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD

BOARD OF ADJUSTMENT

Meeting Minutes

January 11, 2022

 

Opening:

 

The public meeting of the Zoning Board of Adjustment of the Village of Ridgewood was called to order at 7:46 p.m.

 

Present:  Greg Brown, Gary Negrycz, Diana Ruhl, Isaac Lebow, Jonathan Papietro, Michael Pickholz and Harold Maxwell. Also present were Bruce Whitaker, Esq., Board Attorney and Jane Wondergem, Board Secretary.

 

Absent:  Matthew Bandelt and Jason Curreri

 

Minutes:          The minutes from November 30, 2021 and December 14, 2021 were adopted.

 

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.

 

Discussion:     Roos, 560 Route 17 North, Resolution – Mr. Whitaker explained that the hearing was closed and there would be no further testimony. The discussion and deliberation regarding the resolution is based on comments and modifications to the content of the resolution. The Board considered correspondence from Mr. Garibaldi which had requested modifications to the resolution.

 

Jacqueline Hone, 30 Carriage Lane, asked for clarification of certain language in the resolution. Mr. Whitaker explained that the certification of non-conformity goes back to what was on the 1999 site plan. Ms. Hone asked for clarification regarding trucks coming and going and parking at the property and lighting. Ms. Hone commented that there is ongoing activity on the property. There was discussion regarding this as the only activity that should be happening is restoring the property to what is approved.

 

Mr. Garibaldi withdrew the modifications he had requested and said he would look into the activity happening on the property.

 

Following deliberation, the resolution was adopted with the changes discussed.

 

Public hearings

 

Mr. Brown announced that the McCann, 236 Walthery Avenue, application was carried to February 22, 2022, without further notice. The Leventhal/Gorgo, 143 Brookside Avenue, application was carried to January 25, 2022, without further notice.

 

Old Business:

 

JEFFREY & JOERETHA CABRANES - the construction of a second story addition, a one story addition and expansion of the existing deck which would result in a side yard setback of 8.45 feet and 7 feet where 10 feet is the minimum required; total aggregate side yards of 13.16 feet where 18.81 feet is the minimum required; front yard setback of 24.75 feet where 52.5 feet is the minimum required; coverage by above grade structures of 21.98% where 20% is the maximum permitted and coverage by above grade structure of 31.88%, within 140 feet of the front lot line, where 20% is the maximum permitted; gross building area of 33.13% where 32% is the maximum permitted and gross building area of 48.05%, within 140 feet of the front lot line, where 35% is the maximum permitted; and a driveway width of 20 feet, where 11.4 feet is the maximum permitted at 329 Stilwell Place, Block 4103, Lot 12, in an R-2 Zone. (Continued from November 30, 2021 without further notice)

 

Joeretha Cabranes, homeowner, was present and was previously sworn.

 

Amanda Sarhan, 690 Ellington Road, was sworn and testified regarding the revisions made to the plans to reduce the gross building area. Ms. Cabranes distributed photos showing the uninhabitable space in the attic and other views of the property.

 

Board members asked about attic access, which is by pull down stairs. Board members asked about the space under the deck. The photos show lattice work there now. Board members asked about the screened front porch. Ms. Cabranes stated it is screened currently, as shown by the photos. Board members asked about some discrepancies of the numbers on the plans. Board members suggested opening the front porch to both reduce the gross building area and take away from the mass.

 

The application was carried to February 8, 2022, without further notice.

 

New Business:

 

THOMAS & JULIE DAVIS – An application to permit the construction of a two-story addition which would result in a side yard setback of 7.18 feet where 10 feet is required and aggregate side yards of 26.28 feet, where 31.83 feet is required at 721 Newcomb Road, Block 2201, Lot 21, in an R-2 Zone.

 

A neighbor of the applicant stated that she did not receive the notice for this application until the day before and did not have time to review the application.

 

The application was carried to February 8, 2022 without further notice.

 

The following Resolutions were memorialized:

-        Sawyer, 338 South Irving Street

-        Taylor, 589 West Brook Avenue

-        Verbitsky, 32 Sherman Place

 

Discussion: The Board discussed the need for applications and plans to be reviewed more thoroughly before going before the Board.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 9:26 p.m.

 

 

 

Minutes submitted by:  Jane Wondergem, Board Secretary

 

Date Approved:           January 25, 2022