should okay all right good evening everybody this is the Zoning Board of adjustment reorganizational meeting and hearing for February 6 2024 and we are starting at 7:35 p.m. call to order and statement of compliance adequate notice of this meeting or hearing has been provided by posting a copy of the public meeting hearing dates on the municipal bulletin board by sending a copy to the echo Sentinel and by filing a copy with the municipal clerk standard board procedures any meeting or hearing conducted by the board is a quasi judicial proceeding any questions or comments must be limited to issues that are relevant to what the board May legally consider in reaching a decision and to quum appropriate to a Judicial hearing meeting or hearing must be maintained at all times meeting cut off announcement is made that as a matter of procedure it is the intention of the Zoning Board of adjustment not to continue any matter past 10:30 p.m. at any regular or special meeting or hearing of the board unless a motion is passed by the members then present to extend the meeting or hearing to a later specified cutoff time electronic devices all in attendance are asked to mute cell phones or any electronic devices so as not to interrupt the proceedings Pledge of Allegiance to the flag United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God indivisible liberty and justice for all okay first item of business tonight we have the new appointees or the reappoints for our board members uh we'll start with um and uh our board attorney Chris sov is going to do the Oaths We Have Tonight Jonathan Rosenberg with a ter expiring December 31st 2027 we have Tom Groff with a term expiring December 31st 2027 we have Randall Watts as alternate number one with the term expiring December 31st 2024 and we have Meredith Crawford Collins is alternate number two with the term expiring December 31st 2025 okay you have all the O there yes I do uh just as a note on Mr Watts um there's a slight type out at alternate number two he's alternate number one so I just cross that um is there anybody we missing out of that group of four I think everybody's here nobody all right great now we can do we'll do a mass swearing as I like to call it instead of having to do all you guys one by one so if you would please uh why you why don't you stand up Raise Your Right hands if you would please and uh repeat after me I state your name do solemnly swear or affirm swe orir that I will support the Constitution support the Constitution of the United States of the United States and the state of New Jersey and the state of New Jersey that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same and to the governments established in the United States and government established in the United States and in this state and in this state under the authority of the people under the authority of the people and that I will faithfully impartially and justly I will faithfully impartially and perform all the duties of zoning Board of adjustment member perform all the duties of Zoning Board of adjustment member uh according to the best of my ability according to the best of my ability and that I will not use my office and that I will not use my office to Grant preferential treatment to Grant preferential treatment nor to seek personal gain to se personal gain favor or Advantage favor or Advantage not available to the general public not available to the general public so help me go okay congratulations you're all dly sworn welcome back or welcome here for the first time thank you so I need to distribute these uh who's on that side Tom Tom Rand Rand I just need you guys to sign I'll put your addresses and then I'll no everything I don't know Tom officially I don't know if you are since you didn't say your name yeah he did he did after he was a wise guy what I said you know technically the speech doesn't really count it's signing the documents yeah that's Yeah the speech is just for just ceremonial so you could say all right uh roll call now my name I did that everybody ready for the call yes all right Mr Rono is excused this evening Miss Brennan here Mr Flatley is excused this evening Mr gret here Mr G ganakas here Mr gr here Mr Rosen here Mr Watts here and Miss Collins here we have a quorum so now we will be doing the election of our chairman for the term expiring January 21st 2025 from uh members of the board do we have a motion to elect somebody as chairman I move that Edwin G Jr be chairman of the Zoning Board of adjustment for the following for this current year second thank you was Mr brov second was Mr Rosenberg right yep any other nominations on the floor there being none I'll do a roll call Mr Groff yes Mr Rosenberg yes Miss Brennan yes Mr GRE yes Mr ganakas yes Mr Watts yes M Collins yes motion carries congratulations Mr chairman back thank you now take over yes thank you uh now can I uh I would like to nominate uh for vice chairman Tom G Goff a second okay any other nominations okay hearing none and close the nominations all right so that's uh chairman G yes you made the motion right yes okay chairman g m brenon yes Mr ganis yes Mr Rosenberg yes Mr Watts yes M Collins yes and Mr grov now Vice chairman yes now Vice chair motion carries all right thank you thank you everybody for your confidence in us um um now we have uh for number 10 we have board appointment resolutions the board will appoint a board secretary to serve until January 21st 2025 and that is if you see it it's on your uh in your packet uh be it resolved the Zoning Board of adjustment of the township of long hill has appointed Deber Coons as the secretary of the Zoning Board of adjustment until January 21st 2025 the Zoning Board of adjustment secretary will hold office hours at Town Hall 9:15 Valley road Gillette New Jersey Mondays Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesdays from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. p.m. and Fridays 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and will be present at all regular and special meetings hearings scheduled for the Zoning Board of adjustment do I hear a motion move that so moved here a second second okay roll call Vice chairman gresov yes M Brennan yes Mr J ois yes Mr Rosenberg yes Mr WS yes M Collins yes chairman G yes motion Carri thank you all right chairman you the the next items number two three four and five for the other appointments yes um you can do like a a roll call vote group yeah no I understand I'm not going to read those but uh there was some question on wording that my vice chairman had that I wanted to discuss to F to figure out if it's even you know if it's worthwhile doing something about it there was the he had mentioned that in our yes in our Board of appointment resolutions it says to serve at the pleasure of the board for the term but yet in their in the resolution itself it doesn't say at the pleasure of the board what it doesn't matter as far as putting the wording because I want to make sure that that it's understood that it's at the pleasure of the board I don't we add that I don't believe it does Mr chairman I think it's kind of understood oh I I I thought that but I wanted to make sure that if it says it in one place we're not eliminating it in the other place that we might want to put it like where where did you wanted to add that uh it could just be right where where it speaks to the period there's a time period each of them there a little bit um oh anticipated ter contract is one year whereas uh or right for the like for the planning consult one year at the pleasure of the board you could add that the pleasure of the zoning board at that point would that would same thing for all that wouldn't disturb anything right I mean I don't see it being material one way or another so I see no issues with the other thing that would you could do it here in turn right do um what's what's the I mean I don't see an issue of to do I don't see an issue with not doing I don't see an issue with doing it it's not going to it's not going to upset anything no not at all uh what's the consensus of a board would it be all right with all the board members if we put added where where're appropriate uh at the pleasure of the board on the resolutions no objection here okay anybody else okay no and where did you want me to add um it says anticipated term of this contract is one year at the pleasure of the board and whereas it so it's the it's the the second where ass Clause yeah the second where ass Clause that says the term that where it ends I think the Bright View engineering one is a little bit different it doesn't have that same yeah the attorney one is a little bit different too well they say anticipa of this contct one year they all say they all have awas it says one year or their date yeah with the the exception was alternate board professional unless unless I'm missing it on the first page just a question for clarification would we put it in the whereas or would we put in the resolved um that's what I was thinking if you wanted to put it the resolve okay is yeah that's fine too we can put it at the resolve I was just standard you just write a sentence that says that you know the appointment is at the plure of the voice yeah the appointment time annual performance then put it there okay that's that's even better thank you that's why we open it up to discussion so we get good ideas so we get paid the big bucks exactly so all right with that change we made that change uh has everybody had a chance to look over uh the um resolutions for the uh legal firm the engineering firm the planning firm and any other uh firm like the traffic engineer I do have a question on the board attorney yes I believe that there was a rate schedule that Associates were uh at a different rate than and what uh Mr Warner is getting paid and and clerks Etc back in the original um agreement had and I don't see such set schedule now everybody's paid 175 is that but this says for hearing because this is this is the basic resolution so what happens ultimately in the signed contract when they they come back we attach that as an exhibit to the contract okay okay which is the fee schedule but predominantly because the fee that majority of what's going to be paid either out of escro or non- escrow that we will be using our Professionals for that's the number that goes in the resolution it's the highest number right fair enough I think the I think it's Incorporated by reference the uh paragraph number one on page two Professional Services contract with Stephen K Warner etc etc by referring to that Services contract that's probably where rate schedu fine that's good as long as we have an explanation all right so hearing that we uh any other questions about those um appointments of the wording of their resolutions so hearing none do I hear a motion to move uh the resolutions for the legal firm the engineering firm the planning for firm and the board will appoint any traffic engineer or any other uh firms May a motion so move second second okay all right roll call Mr Rosenberg yes Vice chair yes M Brenan yes Mr gas yes Mr Watts yes Collins yes chairman GRE yes car all right thank you board you're welcome exact thank you from from RN to appreciate the confidence you're never getting rid of us that's what I tell I know you can't leave um but she did the master plan so Bo yes thank congratulations on that I think everybody should give a clap big accomplishment at our uh dinner in uh December they mentioned that or January I mentioned that that the that was finally done after all these years uh that's a big accomplishment are you ready to start the next one yeah right never ending battle Yeah right soon as you get that one you got to start the next one right board procedural resolutions did any everybody get a chance to look at the 2024 minute and hearing schedule the notice of publication the resolutions for applications and the me meeting and hearing cut off yes okay any and I will Mr chairman I will note that you and I had discussed this that we thought it was a good idea unless anybody else on the board says otherwise because this is a presidential year we are not we opted not to put a second meeting or have that first Tuesday in the month of November this year yes um kind of collectively in the last several years when there have been elections and we've had board like board hearings the same night it gets very tricky it does so um I think unless we have to add that date as as a oh my God special hearing you know need to add it um my suggestion would be to not have yeah I I would concur as being a a pole worker I would concur Because unless I'm working here which I'm usually not it's I have to run here uh anyway um so hearing no other changes to those 6 S8 n uh do you have a motion to accept those so move second okay do we need a roll call this all in favor I okay meeting minutes for December 5th uh I was not here but um do you have everybody got a copy of them uh are there any changes amendments to the minutes no hearing none uh do I hear a motion to accept the December fifth minutes so move second do I have a second second okay three of us here all right uh the um you want to call the U roll call for the people no we can have for for all in favor all the people that are allowed to vote which is not me and not wend uh andus Rosenberg that's right okay among those say yes yes okay good all right meeting minutes upon motion made in second in the meeting minute okay then we've got um the app resolution ra Rachel and Adriana Rihanna application number 23- o2z um that one is the River Road One one uh did every did the people that were at that meeting did they all you guys all looked at it is there any changes or amendments to that uh resolution anything that struck somebody as weird or or wrong or corrected none okay all right good no typos nothing that's good all right um I'm shocked yeah I wrote it so that's good that's good um yeah there's always something um okay do I hear a motion mtion please don't do you I hear a motion to move that so moved okay you want hear a second second okay all right uh Mr Vice chairman gr yes Mr gakis yes and Mr Ros yes motion carries all right terrific all right now uh board secretary report oh no that's after now we have the oh that's okay well fine okay um is that going to be long no I mean I can just tell you that like yeah CU I won't be here for the application I'm not coming back oh that's right the basically I wanted to have another update but I know we have at least five other applications coming in so I haven't updated the status sheet as the last update I sent out in January so okay but you guys are busy yeah yeah we're gonna be busy good y so clear your Tuesdays clear youres that's right now the application that's coming up is a bulk variant for Block 13003 Lot 8 Zone R-3 known as 424 Elm Street application number 23-16 z uh linia and Milton dwarte applicant proposes to construct a second story addition to an existing single family residence is the applicant present yes I see in present and we have the expert we have uh do you have any other Witness besides yourself and okay all right well uh it just so happens that I own a piece of property that is behind to the left of this property and unfortunately I have to recuse myself I would love to sit on this I I I really it saddens me that I actually can't do it but it's one of the first times I've actually had a recuse myself so with that said I will turn over to meeting to my trustee Vice chairman and let him proceed and I will take my leave so I get home early tonight all right guys you bet you better call your wife so she can throw your boy her boyfriend exactly right Mr Vice chairman while Mr chairman is leaving I just real quick i' just make my statement as to uh jurisdiction here um I did have a opportunity to review the applicant's notice found both the content and timeliness of service to be uh sufficient uh uh was sent by certified mail and published in the moristown Daily Record more than 10 days in advance of tonight's hearing and thus in legal opinion the board is jurisdiction over this matter so just want to put that on the record before I leave U there is a um Somerset County Bar Association land Symposium and basic course and land use law that I would recommend that everybody go to I've gone to it for the past two years uh Deborah will talk to you more about it's in when is it sometime I don't remember the DAT I'll I'll send everybody but it it's a really good course and you and it's an interesting it's it's not a waste of time to go to it it's very interesting so I would recommend everybody do that okay thank you Mr chair son take care have a good ide you want to take the big seat you're good my diapers fit here all right um can I guess we we'll go to our board professional first yeah Mr chairman Mr Vice chairman yeah I guess I'll swear the witnesses and we'll do that first um gentlemen if you could I'm assuming both of you going to be testifying correct corre okay both rais your right hand do you oh and Miss leny as well I got you too might as everybody do all of you swear or affirm that the testimony you're about to provide is the truth the whole truth nothing about the truth so help you God I do all right great thank you very much Mr chairman okay um M Lany can we hear from you do you want to hear oh yes they're opening sorry my name is Milton Dart I'm sorry please proceed if you could just identify yourself uh name and address for the record my name's Milton Dart 4 to4 El Street Sterling and then reason I'm did the application I like to make my house more comfortable for us we plan to stay here longer and family growing we I have a big family here too my brother live in Millington and then we all get together holidays birthday you know party and then I like to do that for make comfortable for our family and then I like to introduce my AR he can explain to you guys better or plan his name Tom Alber you can explain to me hi everybody uh Tom ellenburger Walnut design um Mr Ellenberger if you could just microphone closer and the better yeah unfortunately the batter is dying oh it's dying blinking should we share was on yesterday we could share yeah how's this uh Tom ellenburger Walnut design uh for Walnut Avenue in Sterling um I'm a licensed architect licens in New Jersey since 2002 um my license is um currently active and uh I have appeared in front of this board once prior in the last 18 months um and I think uh Mr Vice chairman does the board accept him as an expert witness in in the field of architecture correct yes okay and your license is in good standing in New Jersey a good standing yes yeah we accept it okay so um the property that we're looking at is it's currently a uh one story split level home um Milton and his family's intention is to expand the living area on the first floor and expand um the second floor bedroom uh we're not increasing number of bedrooms number of bathrooms uh anything along that nature um the current house does have a problem with with a uh low pitched roof so ultimately the second floor um will become a full Second Story rather than really a half story of what it is now so uh the ridge height it will uh get a little bit higher in Ridge height but nowhere near the uh maximum uh allowable by zoning um Mr Ellenberg I'm very sorry to cut you off sir I see you're kind of glancing over at the plans I just want to confirm those were submitted with the application than 10 days in advance yeah I have two I have three um plans with me the the two the first two are identical that was submitted okay and I will address uh a third one which I will enter as exhibit yeah we'll take that as it comes okay just wanted to confirm thank you s because it's right putting it in my mind I got you um so uh the the additions will technically be a two-story Edition uh five feet it will add five feet in width to the house as well as 5T to the back of the house and that'll accommodate the larger living area on the first floor and um make a more practical Master Suite up on the second floor um so the the uh variances we're seeking um ultimately most of them are triggered in result of a lot size that is um existing non-conforming it is narrow and not of the square footage in for dictated for the zone so um there's uh lot coverage and uh sidey yard and a few other ones that are up here can I take this up here to the drawing or can I sit or uh yeah this one good there you go my eyes aren't that good um so you know the variant that are seeking is ultimately a result of of the property size I'm going to go to a exhibit that will enter um which is a blow up of the aerial map that is on the first sheet and this is uh just a um it's a blowup from the tax map um but what I um highlighted here are the uh lot widths in the block area the yellow in indicating um the property in question and of the 17 properties that are on the Block only two of which actually meet the lot width that is in the zoning um those two also meet the lot area requirement and the rest of them that are in red do not meet it as well all right Mr Elber just want to establish this is exhibit A1 we'll call this uh aerial blowup yep of that's fine on sheet one well dat it today 2624 26 24 it's okay with you unless there's another date on there no just okay great thank you A1 you said yes sir okay so I just wanted um now again this is um publicly available I re I obtained it off of the uh County website I am not a planner so I'm just really kind of extrapolating data that was available um but ultimately the uh variances that of your seeking are really a result of the um insufficient lot size and width so um what we're proposing is two-story Edition um over the main house the the mass of the of the of the dwelling really it's obviously the height is getting a little higher but ultimately it's not drastically changing the street front front um cleans it up a little bit but proportionally it's you know it it's very fitting to the uh the neighborhood um with new roof new siding Windows you know in the Disturbed areas um and technically you know the front basically you know the big change is really in the roof you know the roof and you overall Mass just get a little bit larger um as you could see from some of the photographs you could see how the original house is [Music] um I there were some comments that maybe we can go through uh from engineering report and planning report if you do you want to address questions first or go through comments it's it's ultimately your presentation okay I'm easy so yeah we'll go through the some of the comments um all very good comments um on the planning report um Elizabeth thank you um so hopefully in item one as far as the bulk variance um with the exhibit that I presented um presents so you know somewh of a hardship as far as him using the lot um appropriately um hopefully I address that with that present um does anybody want to comment directly on that or can I move on that was F okay um item number two um the swimming pool so mil the swimming pool was um installed two years ago two years ago two years ago under permit it's above ground swimming pool um fence around around the swi just have that the STS it's not okay um the breakdown of the calculated coverage so when I calculated the lock coverage um obviously building structures but I included the pool and the patio walkways everything to come up with that calculation as worst case scenario I saw the definition in zoning that a pool is included I wasn't sure about an above ground versus built-in but I included it in the number and um sorry if I Canna ask did you include the shed yes you did everything yeah all right good yeah I included the worst case scenario um and yes guilty for spelling errors y standard protocol okay any uh any reservations about just correcting that as a condition of approval if correcting the spelling spell of course okay just just making sure no guarantees I'll get it right the second time but I'll try my best you were consistent no hey yeah nothing else got give them that maybe he's talking about the font I don't know you know what I don't I hate to say it but the spell check that's what it picked up and it happens it's not the first time it's happened um if we move on to the engineering report um so the there is um an existing uh p in the back that has that's bound on the uh rear with a low retaining wall so for all intents and purposes that retaining wall is not going to be modified the addition will uh push the back wall out 5 feet and the retaining wall is going to um essentially remain it's going to B still terminate at the back of the house there's a uh wood deck that's I'm calling it a wood deck because ultimately it's a landing for stairs that will basically straddle that wall um part I'm grade and then part will be Steeps going down to the existing patio so the existing patio is not going to get modified or enlarged it'll stay um the way it is um I'll provide testimony as far as the uh Landscaping buffers um so in the front of the house there's a mulch bed with couple of zelas and and flowers in front um what we'd like to do is just kind of extend that to the new corner of the house um I can get up and show you but basically um hopefully the planting bed currently terminates at the existing corner of the house and we're just going to extend it and um provide additional um shrubs and flowers to match what's there um there is no um plantings on the side currently um and the side of which we're seeking variants for which is this side it's only grass from here to the property line existing and we were going to propose to leave it that way no grading is proposed no grading changes proposed as part of this work okay okay uh storm water management yeah we are under the uh threshold requirement for that um so as far as drainage um existing all the leaders find their way to Daylight um currently and with what we propose for for the addition is to basically just extend that um the leaders that are on the east side of the house currently just splash onto grade in this corner and this corner and with a 5 foot addition they will do the same thing the uh two leers on this side of the house actually they go underground just to reach Beyond on the patio and then they hit daylight so they're going to do the same thing as well it's just a matter of just getting under the uh patio and this is already underneath a driveway and it travels uh westwardly to Daylight um so essentially we're just kind of adapting the leaders to the existing of what's there can I ask a question while you're speaking about that certainly okay so uh what is the grade from the Eastern side of the house towards the Eastern property line now what is it like is it flat is it sloped is it it's there's a slight slope can you do you know about how much from the house I would imagine from you're saying from Milton from this side to no the E side oh the Eastern side to to to West the other property oh to the front house to East property line does it go down or up you're putting the drainage 5 feet closer to the property line cor yes correct correct my question is would we have 20 feet there now or we have 25 going to 20 right so that 20 ft in between this house and the property line is it a slope that way that SL towards me really yeah okay well right against the foundation I would hope that it's I think it's slight yeah I think it's slightly sloping away and then I think as you get to the front I think it doeses slope slightly towards the street correct so but it's not sloping towards the house Mountain correct right so that I mean that's all we're getting or getting towards is you know now that if and when you get approved for this we don't want your 5T uh which might have soaked up some water to now you know kind of not soak up water and it it then it's rushing over the neighbors but if the slope is already like that if it isn't then you know maybe some accommodation to the grade could happen so that you have a a wh or something to stop it from going to the neighbors or okay we could also consider you know as far as directionally um have that drain go to the front um because I do think in the front even you can look see in the picture because from the front too right they need water right yeah um but that's all I get that understood it is kind of odd looking right now how it seems to come out and then shut back in is that or is that just a in the photo existing photo right side in A2 existing photo right side actually both the front and I think this this is the Eastern top right do they I mean maybe it's just the I do I do think it does um slop back to front it does right and that goes across and that's through the whole side though Milton correct from the backyard yes so it's going across to take a lot of I mean it's hard to tell what direction yeah it's hard to see from the photograph on the left yeah you know does it pitch much towards the uh property line I don't think it's much but it may be slightly the main pitch is definitely from rear to to the front so on the west side when you say the it drains or opens to to Daylight is that on the applicant property yeah Milton that's on your they hit daylight once they get past the driveway correct correct okay how far past I believe driveway about 8 8 n ft something like that like that and also between that two props line we have that slope because we have water from the back running towards the street so there's something there yes out already while we're on drainage I I know Mr fch had in his memorandum um request for a condition if the uh if the roof leaders don't maintain the existing drainage areas uh would the applicant be willing to stipulate to submitting a drainage statement and some proposed mitigation measures to be subject to the review of the board engineer Co that yes Milton yes of course okay got it so that that might hopefully address all the board members concerns if there's an issue yeah Mr vo will figure it out if you guys okay fantastic no issue um soil erosion um Milton will provide um silt fencing around the Disturbed area take that's adequate I'll take that as another station yep absolutely and then the uh area disturbance uh doesn't require the uh Mars County Soil certification any questions questions okay I I just have a a few questions first um so just with regard to the planning testimony so you have these some existing non-conformities with regard to um lot size which is undersized with uh lot width which is undersized and then you have the shed which I'm assuming Mr DTE you didn't put in or did you put in the shed I put in the shed okay so that would be probably I mean it it's an existing nonconform but it it pro maybe you want to make that sort of part of your application now to seek a variance for the setbacks and it it's also it exceeds the maximum permitted size for a shed um what's the size on the sh not a 10 by 10 it's a 10 by 12 it's it's a it's a little over 100 square feet I think do you know the size of it mil I think that's uh 10 by 50 if I'm not wrong it's like about 150 something yeah 150 yeah so um yes they can get a variance they would get a VAR move it and not have to make it smaller right yeah we went through that on the last right exactly so I just want to make that that clear um but I think um with regard to the the zoning uh you know the variances that you need is it of your opinion that the benefits of granting these variances would outweigh any of the detriments associated with them I do um and do you think that you know despite the fact that you need these variances do you think that what you're proposing here is a sort of provides a better zoning alternative you know with regard to how the building fits in in the remaining you know the streetcape of the neighborhood I do okay so then the couple of things that I would like to see um the aerial thing is is minor but I would like to see a breakdown of the um of how how you got to um the impervious coverage calculations I think that's important especially because you need a variance for that um the other thing i' I would say is my yeah I don't know this for a fact that what Joe vo was getting getting at but my guess is that he was suggesting more than sort of uh AEL as as Landscaping because there is because the applicant is proposing to go further into a sidey setback towards a neighbor that that the Landscaping would be an attempt to mitigate any of those that's my guess that is that's what he's getting at is to mitigate any sort of potential negative impacts of getting 5T closer to um D's neighbor the other thing I would note and again but that's for the board's consideration um and then the other thing I would note is that um it looks like the a air conditioning condenser you know is on that sidey yard um and that is getting a little bit closer to your neighbors and so I think that that may be something the board would want to discuss or think about is whether that would you would like to see that in some way screened or landscaped because it is also visible from the street but again it's going to be a little bit closer to that that neighbor um but I think that's those are my only yeah I'm sorry to put you on the spot with the AC unit I I had this question do they need a variance if they're moving that thing over a little bit it's not it would begin the setback yeah you have to have 10 feet from the property line to the generator and it's not a generator I we there actually are no regulations really for okay it's 10t for a generator just curious generator is 10t but there's no rule for really okay all right well that answers my question that's a no would the applicant be amable to putting some sort of screening whether it's vegetation or absolutely vegetation the match just will kind of wrap the corner further to kind of hide from Street and the side the uh condensing unit is it not an option to move it to the back so that it's not visible from the straight the AC unit yeah point is being moved anyway right right if you're leaving the wall where it is you got like a little corner there it could get further it probably could get further to the back but I don't think I could tuck it behind the house from the new edge of the house to the wall you got 5T a notch right there that screams put me here yeah well I don't know if it's well it is but I think what happens there's a that wood there's a really a landing for this the uh door going to the backyard which you know I think you're you're right where I was thinking like that corner is going to help but I don't think I could get it to tuck around to the back but we can certainly um attempt you know do the vegetation um good faith best effort to relocate the air conditioning units yeah even if it's not next to their patio maybe further back further to the back of the house okay no problem I mean we wouldn't want to put it on their patio right that's right okay no I don't think there's any issue with that right no and then just in terms of the screening of the new structure itself as I'm reading the plans it's not just coming five feet on the first floor but it'll also be 5 feet on the second floor so correct really no way to screen that how many it's a small property it feels like too much to me anyway so may just Landscaping on on the front and not the side the front yeah I mean I thought that what he proposed was reasonable adding in of course screening um and potentially relocating the air conditioning unit okay thank you no problem so do we want additional landscape screening for the AC unit itself um or just moving back is you think that's sufficient just just the AC unit whether it's I don't know some sort of enclosure some sort of Shrubbery something for that to okay problem so I understand the the scope of everything there's only one window uh in the side of that house remaining and it's going to be in the bedroom there's no window in the living room yes correct no no window on that side currently but in the back there's in the back there's just one window obviously second is the window in the living room so it's not like you put a big picture window in the living room to look at the neighbors like creepy maybe be um Mr J this all disappears okay um two questions um first question on the aerial image the Red Dot that is the house that yeah so I I it's useless okay so I'm assuming though this is a a picture taken in the summer spring sometime and it appears that I mean maybe I'm wrong it appears it almost it's completely covered in in vegetation is that not true or is that just a is that a just the picture is not how um how is the property in some is it is there a a full canopy of trees no really no we have two trees in the back and yeah cuz from when I look at it here it doesn't look like that's the picture of that they each it almost looks like you have a full on Woods there that's why I was wondering but I do see in the front photo to the right I guess to the east there are some relatively tall trees are they in the backyard between you and the neighbor on the east side yes I have two of them in the backyard but they don't extend to towards the okay um because I I guess to to your question you know about how the height maybe you know I obviously you can't plant full grown trees but I didn't know if extending those those trees I don't know are those your trees or are those your neighbor's trees nebor okay I actually try on the line on um I didn't know if we wanted to consider that I I have to ask this question because especially when Brian was here he would always ask this kind of question so I figure I have to continue when you considered doing this project originally obviously you want to you know increase the amount of your living space and and obviously you know be able to use this more appropriately did you consider the extending on the other side so you would because it seems like if you extended it five feet on the other side instead of on the in the west side instead of the East Side you wouldn't have to get a variance for that correct I think correct but that would be in the bad rooms I know you know increase the bad rooms because we prefer be in a kitchen in the living room that's we enjoy more for family together I mean I suppose you could reconfigure everything that it would make it different but there would more it would be just more reconfiguring to to actually get that done yes okay you have to ask because did you did you consider any options or are there any options to achieve what the applicant is seeking to achieve in terms of the space that's within the the zoning such that you wouldn't need to get VAR the only the only option would be um basically pushing everything towards the back which would then modify the patio completely um area disturbance more you know so basically it you know thought about it but I think um you know I think this was uh an approach a path of least um disruption or uh resistance um but that we did think of trying you know doing the back it's great to hear that you thought about it try can't get all the right answers all the time but you got to try I I've got one more question about the interior just because as you know as as Lou's pointed out you know if you're going to need the variance for the shed should do it similarly and I know that these aren't the construction documents but in the bathrooms you still have two single syns uh and if there's any um thoughts of having double syns because these plans if I'm not mistaken these plans kind of then go to the construction Department which so they should kind of be in syn so if all of a sudden you say hey wouldn't it be great to have two sinks you know in the bathroom and and then you do it in the construction thing then there's like a disconnect so just to make sure if you want two sinks in the master or in the main bath uh is that something that you're considering and you want to kind of have us approve now and do we need to I'm not 100% sure we need to approve okay the dra oh never mind you might ask him anyway a double yeah things are nice no because they're nice they're nice large countertops right yeah actually the master suite it will be a nice Suite so that's certainly not out of the question to do something like that of course you get tax for two fixtures but yeah if you put it in after the tax man comes by Michael I got one more one more question just sure so on the the drawing it says there's a shed behind the existing existing so the existing there's a shed that is was constructed um that AB buts to the house it so it's connected to the house yeah it's connected to the house right there oh that you're getting rid of it though oh yeah oh yeah was is that a problem that they have two sheds no because they're getting rid of one I know I me right now obviously I'm just saying right now is that a problem it's a it's a strange shed I not a strange shed but it's weird because it is attached to the house but I guess it opens up into the patio it's not in it's not there's no opening into the house no it's not it's not insulated it's not it's just like a lean tube up against the house that they refinished over it to make it look uh like it's part of the house just wonder yeah okay but it would have been yes Randall any questions Merith any questions I'm taking it all in you're not obliged to have questions it's all good I have one and Liz I'm very sorry to put you on the spot again um the just because the applicant noticed for it might as well address it um a front yard setback variants they don't need that right because they're not building into the front yard setback correct I mean I I just all the existing non-conformities except the shed which I you know but I think you didn't um you haven't made any additions to your house since you've been in it right you said you bought it a couple of years ago so that so he wasn't resp he bought the property with those those conditions okay that's just wanted to confirm they weren't building they didn't need that relief so good okay um I guess can I can I ask a question though regarding the lot coverage do you have a problem with their calculation do you do you have another calculation no it was more just um it's typical that we see it broken down because sometimes then the board might try to bargain you know like well hey if you got rid of the pool or what I don't know what but you know you could lower that since you need a variance for it so I think it's good to have especially if somebody comes back either Mr DTE or somebody at the future who want who needs to expand and then makes it worse that we have some sort of Baseline of how that number was derived and there's just kind of weird you know there's like you don't have to count the shed if there's gravel underneath and like that a wooden deck is 50% but only if it's the slats and stuff like that so I think it's just good to have that and and the professional testified that he accounted for everything as lot coverage anyway so potentially he's over 100 yeah that's exactly right it's possible that it's not as Extreme as they're getting the variance for break up yeah actually I do have a question I'm just looking on the second um second page of this we had discussed to by by expanding the property 5T to to the E I believe it's 5T to the east I noticed in the existing photo rear and the existing photo right side there's gutters that have run off that run Eastward that that's slight slightly soaked down and in the new plant what youa pardon it's it's not indicated correct and my question was because you're going to be expanding 5et Eastward do you think with down spouts you might have those running South because it does slope South front lawn would they um would the front one exist Southward to come towards the street to go with the natural yeah that's what I was thinking when the conversation came up there's a way to of direct the water right more toward yeah because I I mean you got to be digging right so we could go underground and then maybe you know end up in the yard before the road yeah we can address that not be a problem yeah I drove by your home earlier today you have a nice slope to your your front yard too so I don't think there would be any issue with that the industry construction sometimes people say the industry they mean mean a lot of different things area I'll been work for this company for 25 years and then we do construction and then that's pretty much I do all day God bless and you get to come home and do it wa for himself okay okay anything else from you guys you nobody public I don't I don't think there's anybody there open to the public close to the public acknowledging there is no public okay I guess I'll I'll try to summarize everything um applicant seeking I count five different variances here and I'll try to run through them and as always if I get anything wrong or I'm leaving anything out feel free to jump in uh first one is a sidey setback variance for the principal dwelling uh 25 foot minimum is uh I'm sorry 25 foot uh is the uh minimum required the maximum required setback minimum maximum minimum gez I it's late in the day guys I'm sorry right uh the house is existing at 25.5 1 feet the applicant proposes uh 20.51% maximum uh properties existing at 23.4% applicant proposes 24.3% and the last three have to do with the shed first one is the size of the shed uh applicant proposes an existing uh 150t shed where where 100 ft is the maximum uh the shed also would have a sidey setback variance of eight uh side yard setback of 8.1 ft where 10t is required and reard setback of 8.3 feet where also 10 ft is required and I think that's it for variances am I leaving anything out no okay so that's the scope of variances uh possible conditions and these are in no particular order but uh the applicant did I will note stipulate to the conditions that were contained in our board planners review memorandum which was dated February 2nd 2024 as well as the conditions in our board Engineers review memorandum which was dated February 5th 2024 and I'll break those down uh I'll start with uh with Joe's memo it's a little bit easier to go through um if there's any change in the roof leaders uh such that they won't be maintaining existing existing drainage applicant will submit a drainage statement with proposed mitigation measures to the uh subject to the review and approval of the board engineer the applicant will also maintain soil erosion and sediment control measures until uh the area of disturbance has been permanently stabilized I believe the applicant indicated they'd be using silt fencing for that they'll also make a uh I'm sorry they're going to revise the architectural plans to correct the spelling of aiel to a r i a l and they will also add a lot coverage breakdown on those plans and uh the next one has to do with the air conditioning unit and screening on the side they're going to make the a good faith best effort to move that AC unit on the side of the house to closer to the rear of the lot closer to the patio and additionally the applicant stipulated to adding additional landscape screening to the front of the dwelling where the uh the addition will be moving further to the East and also additional landscape screening for the AC unit and I think that's it if I'm leaving anything out please feel free to jump in with the landscaping for the AC unit could that be some sort of like fencing too does it have to be trees doesn't have to be okay it's called Landscaping I don't know if that meant natural things or if you want want it to just be trees you could say why don't you say screening and say make it a combin it can be a combination of fencing and Landscaping minimal look going on but we still want to cover that fencing like I had to say something I got you okay great and we'll make those subject to the review and approval of her that' be very talented board planner thank you and that's uh that's the whole inchada Mr chairman so I I a motion to approve would be with those conditions stipulated too okay um I think we had a comment yeah I I just had a question comment for the board uh consideration if we're going to ask the applicant and I don't know how difficult I know nothing about this in terms of I guess they're moving the AC uh anyway but if we're asking them to do the um screening it seems that where it is and how they're proposing with the additional aelas and shrubs and and then kind of looping kind of looping them around the build the house at the corner that if we move them if we move the AC unit back I don't I mean I'm not designing this but does that mean then we're asking for them to screen from the front all the way around the side all the way to the back or just around the unit itself because I think it maybe looks more natural if and I don't know you know if it's closer to the front than if it loops around may my understanding please if I'm wrong this and this is how I tried to word it at least when I was trying to recite it was that the landscape screening for the front of the house would go to the edge of the new edition but also there would be a separate kind of sphere of land of screening for the AC unit it would kind of be treated separately I again this is more for the the planning here is that if it was closer to the front then that Landscaping could then be kind of a natural extension of the Landscaping in the front and I don't know if that makes more sense for them if they would prefer that and would we be okay okay if that's something they prefer to say is our issue more that we want Landscapes we want screening around it we don't care where it is necessarily because if it's screening in the front or screening more towards the back it's still on the side we just want it screened and does it make more sense and would the applicant prefer to have that Landscaping kind of be a natural extension of the Landscaping from the front or a completely separate kind of batch of landscaping and do we want to offer that to the applicant to see what what they prefer or do we just want to dictate it say we want them whatever why don't we say something like in the most aesthetically pleasing way based on final plans yeah as long as it's as long as it is screen ultimately screen from yeah because I don't think it's NE yeah because I don't think it's because honestly if it's further back or further front if there's no screening you still see it from the neighbor you still see it from the front no matter where it is so I I think whatever is makes the most aesthetic kicks on and you're on your patio if it's a little closer to the front it'll sound a lot quieter to you I suggest we just leave it kind of open-ended applicant will provide additional screening for the the addition and the AC unit subject of the review and approval of our planner I think Liz everybody trusts Liz discretion I think she she can handle this pretty easily comp okay all right we'll take that as a further stipulation as well okay fantastic that open it up to discussion deliberation yes would you like to start I'll kick us off sure um so thank you so much for the very wellth thought out um presentation and we and I appreciate you addressing all of the board professionals concerns I think that with the stipulations that you made here and addressing the board professionals concerns in addition to your testimony regarding the way that you consider potentially you know trying to accomplish what the applicant seeks to accomplish with it you know making this addition to his home within the zoning um isn't really possible um and so for all those reasons I think that you have met both the you know C1 in terms of the size of the a lot the location of the house um and what you're seeking to do with the house that I think is absolutely reasonable um I think you've also met the C2 in terms of you know furthering the zoning the purpose of the zoning um ordinance and that you are you know maintaining a property updating the property um making the best use out of it for probably you know hopefully generations to come and and Future your neighbors um there's no detriment that I see I think that your you know concessions and plans really kind of mitigate any potential detriment obviously there's no neighbors here um objecting to the plan and so for those Reasons I'm for the application Gary you um I concur with everything you said I think she said it so wonderfully and I'll just add that it's a it's a really smart kind of design and plan to make the family space larger and and enjoy a master bedroom that's larger um and not really changing the look of it too much and you know you've really worked with any suggestions that came up to uh to make sure that it doesn't um you know damage the feel of the neighborhood or the neighbors so I'm in favor of this when we get to vote sir would you sure uh I agree that uh regards to the C1 variants uh you have an exceptional like many of our Lots in this town unfortunately exceptionally narrow and that as a as a result of that it's an undue hardship for the applicant I think you've shown that and proven that and I think that what you're presented to us and the uh you know the plans that you have seem to be as restating what my fellow board members have stated already uh will be Improvement on the existing property and Improvement to the neighborhood and I appreciate your being here and thank you than you wish you good luck and yeah I would be supportive of this application Mr Watts alternate number one yeah well being in the quote unquote industry I guess um there's always the opportunity for you not to G about doing this the right way bringing it to our attention and getting all these plans done and you just kind of doing it yourself so to speak so uh thank you for doing it that way um everything looks good and um if I have to vote I will yes Mary would you like to I so appreciate your coming in here and I really enjoyed looking at your plans both online before we even got here today and being able to see them in person too and I so appreciate too the the time and attention that you took to you know answering our questions and you know any concerns that we had about um you know expanding further Eastward but I uh I appreciated the the your time you to answer all of that and and I really think it'd be a lovely uh a really U nice aesthetic Improvement to you know to the existing home you make it larger and for further generations to come too and and it looks great and I have to V um considering this is an existing non-conforming non-conforming lot and uh you're not increasing bedrooms or bathrooms you're not in excess of the ordinance the height ordinance uh no major changes to the frontage no major changes to the patio uh you've got a growing family with plans to stay you are um making the neighborhood better so the pros outweigh the cons uh by far and uh I will be in favor of uh of this of the resolution the application at I think that's everybody that's everybody so tonight um Mr Watts will be voting in place of Mr ronio and Miss Collins will be voting in place of Mr flat exciting it counts so and you and your both are El to make motions to say would you like to make a motion to oh so you can kick it off I'm going to make a motion to motion to approve the application with all the stipulated two conditions and I will second go put that down steing up to the plate very nice okay Miss Collins yes Mr Watts yes Miss Brennan yes Mr ganakas yes Mr Rosenberg yes Vice chairman grov yes motion congratulations good luck to you so bring us home there yeah wallpaper we're not done I fold it for the do think so no secretary report she already I apologize we have item number 10 in a ger anybody old any old business that's from December 25th any unfinished business any new business no okay can I get a motion to adjourn so moved second second we're out we never vote on motions