[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6053644,"mediaKeyId","3372762-be1e6365ede055b49a900c8c31fd1d3b","parentId",3372762,"title","Zoning board approves renovation and new two‑car garage for historic house at 31 Hobart Avenue","audioSeconds",5351,"startMs",8142000,"endMs",13493000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3372762-be1e6365ede055b49a900c8c31fd1d3b&start=8142&end=13493","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3372762-be1e6365ede055b49a900c8c31fd1d3b/thumbnail_8142000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6053644/Summit/Union-County/New-Jersey/Zoning-board-approves-renovation-and-new-twocar-garage-for-historic-house-at-31-Hobart-Avenue","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6053644-96f78df950c97962c40ba737f2b46c99/orig.mp4?Expires=1771164658&Signature=WvNijn6tWWt~ZkeGxFvosaEVc27pjGb8zYymb76nR~E1U3SWgkJH~3UdklcIEmdvCsaqqOA0jbWpzp6S3KZYK-WnPMPWz7DYYqPcc~g43aMxK1vImHABoPGCXTyzo627P7V452jH3sILWmdFp3pSRx6zk3sZvl~dT0yrt~Mc874t8s6e5cGgtnKV9uc2AmPVLibJovWgFRLze8lFCnHaOkwMV6NfoxrO7-lwBkV7y1~5z1UhXl43bWWXJ-5zvwHDqlkHocCc~MJ-iZh-6ekClz4HUI0k4WMK78Xv4hkftMU2-FdCb9pQMJfp9HFwKIgMJuIO8cXX0m-bMdMgL5TU2g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Summit","date","2025-05-06T15:44:28Z","article","The Summit Zoning Board of Adjustment voted unanimously on May 5 to approve a renovation, covered porches and a new two‑car detached garage for the historic house at 31 Hobart Avenue, finding the proposal balances preservation of the 19th‑century Gothic Revival dwelling with modernized living space.

Applicant Matthew Medveen and his design team told the board the work will restore historic porch details, add a covered side porch connecting to a permitted rear addition, and build a two‑car garage set lower on the lot to limit disturbance of the house and steep hillside.

Architect Ryan Petyak described the design as intended to “match the existing pitch” and materials of the house and to use detailing that echoes the original structure. Petyak said the team removed dormers from the garage design after consultations to avoid any implication of additional habitable second‑floor space in the accessory building.

Civil engineer and planner Richard (Rich) Keller explained site constraints and the reasons for the garage location. The rear of the lot drops sharply into a wooded low area; Keller said the selected site minimizes overall disturbance to steep slopes while allowing practical driveway access and vehicle turning. The plan routes roof leaders and driveway runoff into oversized dry wells and a level spreader that dissipates flow at the toe of the slope; the engineer told the board the proposal reduces existing uncontrolled runoff from the property by capturing roof drainage rather than allowing it to flow down the slope.

Keller and the architect said the garage will measure 18 feet from the street side elevation but will be higher when measured from the calculated average grade because the site falls away at the rear; the application therefore required a variance for accessory building height in addition to building coverage and the accessory side‑yard standard.

The board attached conditions including compliance with the board engineer’s memorandum, decompaction and fertilization of two front‑yard trees identified for preservation per the city forester’s recommendations, a replacement tree where one front tree will be removed, and retention of stormwater jurisdiction by the board for two years following construction to ensure the drainage measures operate as designed.

Board members praised the applicant for retaining and restoring the historic house and found the application met the legal standards for variances given the lot’s topography, the existing dwelling location and the design’s mitigation for stormwater and steep‑slope disturbance. The vote was unanimous (Malay, Steiner, Nelson, Yuko, Chifo, Feskins and Vice Chair Mazon voting yes). Building permit review and final structural drawings remain required.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Summit Zoning Board Meeting: May 5, 2025 LIVE","oneSentenceSummary","The Zoning Board approved a plan to restore and expand a Gothic Revival house at 31 Hobart Avenue, including a new two‑car garage set into steep rear slopes; the board found the design preserves the historic character and imposed stormwater, steep‑slope and tree‑protection conditions.","taxTitle","Summit, Union County, New Jersey","taxId",69921,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6053649,"Board clears variance for generator and replacement A/C units at 78 Essex Road, citing minimal neighborhood impact",920,6897000,7817000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3372762-be1e6365ede055b49a900c8c31fd1d3b&start=6897&end=7817","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3372762-be1e6365ede055b49a900c8c31fd1d3b/thumbnail_6897000.jpg","/articles/6053649/Summit/Union-County/New-Jersey/Board-clears-variance-for-generator-and-replacement-AC-units-at-78-Essex-Road-citing-minimal-neighborhood-impact","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6053649-ae3453e6a33f7f181bf3e34421272b72/orig.mp4?Expires=1771164658&Signature=iFSaONgQffMm-cIo-K3BXOpaTKfZ4zS2MXIse3ltXsGLdp7CQBGb981YDV2Wjx03yFkPlb4omr29jzRA8BQMjFZ3LjXjMsA8dZ654U87UknNKzkpCy3DH0jiH3GpvhtadbH13Axd~PW7fyAeMMNGoCtfz~jhi4iWforUOJM5eXpkrARDAtwmVnk3o2Cs6DEB6uADaMEBcRQ09YJqDmPouiie0L9C~-Jz98Z~sv4PNpq0odMcCPsv9xwwkXongc0mXoyLGk0f5m1pVGL5v6FJuA~xrEpF6N5CBev1xIKSRa4~ZLHbAH53-QSKopbrSkdFxQs1Na8rT6ZCr245M4FU8A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Summit Zoning Board of Adjustment on May 5 unanimously approved an application to replace two air‑conditioning condensers and add a standby generator at 78 Essex Road, saying the equipment will be sited in an already screened location and will not create a material nuisance for neighbors.

Applicant Everett Christiansen told the board he and his wife moved into 78 Essex in 2019 and sought the approvals after discovering existing condensers were sited inside the required side‑yard setback following a contractor’s permit application. The family also sought a generator for health and safety reasons.

Surveyor and engineer Andrew Clark described the lot as conforming in most respects but noted the dwelling and existing condensers sit closer than the ordinance’s required side yard; the proposed equipment largely occupies the same footprint and will be screened by an existing 6‑foot stockade fence and mature plantings between the house and the adjacent driveway. Clark said the new generator would add roughly 8 to 10 square feet of impervious area, well below thresholds that would trigger additional stormwater controls.

The applicant agreed to standard conditions: maintain screening, test the generator only during daytime hours allowed by ordinance, and replace or repair any screening unintentionally disturbed during installation. Board members pressed about locating the generator on the opposite side of the house; the applicant said the current location is nearest existing gas and electrical service and provides better visual screening.

Board members described the proposal as a straightforward c‑variance given the lawful existing location of the condensing units and the minimal intrusion of the proposed generator. The board approved the application by unanimous roll call (Malay, Steiner, Nelson, Yuko, Chifo, Feskins and Vice Chair Miriam Mazon voting yes).

The board noted building permits and final engineering inspections remain required.","The Summit Zoning Board of Adjustment unanimously approved a request to replace two air‑conditioning condensers and install a standby generator at 78 Essex Road, finding the equipment will be screened and will not materially change neighborhood character; testing hours for the generator were limited.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6053652,"Summit zoning board approves renovation and second‑story addition at 83 West End with conditions",5758,1061000,6819000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3372762-be1e6365ede055b49a900c8c31fd1d3b&start=1061&end=6819","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3372762-be1e6365ede055b49a900c8c31fd1d3b/thumbnail_1061000.jpg","/articles/6053652/Summit/Union-County/New-Jersey/Summit-zoning-board-approves-renovation-and-secondstory-addition-at-83-West-End-with-conditions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6053652-071cf4ede965b0cac180dd5e1477f836/orig.mp4?Expires=1771164658&Signature=EC9UtxioYl-dtqDtB0M0ptLfu8qQfZf6~Hfd9bDMpoRnRF5oEOkeF1DBYvNqX-MAQn0dG6cnIAy-EuCCvhOAUp9BZFB2Jyv3oRY9prWZTwd0T9esMCY0IILKH8pNPeGE~rbnbUNJNer~gwqYyyIPYXpGlaMrladBNC372rlIAfd6gFTZEKMWGhIHr93Ld8fgFCQuf0L9bdFQbks1PfeUfWISJKFAahWpkVLZ8MUvylSU-tRQXX9R0LfF~fCLF9k5CesgJvplUKoQQgTgeUDBejjPATJIWuWKwVEz7DoVur61xQXtrGyIZXUBa4PKLsJI2j2B76isHhwJbiZoMuAX1Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Summit Zoning Board of Adjustment voted 7-0 on May 5 to approve an application by 83 West End Ave, LLC to renovate and raise the existing Cape Cod‑style house at 83 West End Avenue, including a second‑story addition and garage modifications, granting relief for several existing nonconforming setbacks and other technical variances.

Board members approved the application after testimony from the applicant’s developer, engineers, architect and environmental consultant and after conditions were added on stormwater, riparian setbacks and exterior materials.

The applicant’s developer, Denise Bonfiglio, told the board the project “is to improve the existing home by upgrading and modernizing it and improving the layout so the home can have function in a way that better meets the contemporary needs of today’s family.” She said the team “are not improving beyond the current foundation.”

Civil engineer William (Bill) Hollows told the board the project will add 93 square feet of impervious surface overall and that the new roof leaders will be tied into existing pipes that discharge at the top of the stream bank behind the property. “Our increase in impervious coverage is 93 square feet,” he said, and added that the project’s additional runoff is below the local threshold that would automatically trigger a dry‑well or similar stormwater system (300 square feet).

Environmental consultant John Peel of PK Environmental said the small watercourse behind the property is a regulated state open water with a 50‑foot riparian buffer, but that the contributing drainage area at the site is under 50 acres. “As such, NJDEP does not regulate a flood hazard area” for this creek and the project can proceed under a NJDEP “permit by rule,” Peel testified. The board required that the applicant confirm any state-level approvals in writing before a building permit is issued.

Neighbors questioned runoff and flood‑zone status during public comment. Resident Elizabeth Wynne said she believed properties along the stream were mapped into a federal flood zone in a prior FEMA update; the applicant’s environmental witness noted that FEMA determinations and NJDEP flood hazard rules are separate systems and said the property’s drainage area keeps it outside NJDEP flood‑hazard regulation.

After deliberation the board attached five conditions to approval including: compliance with the board engineer’s review; replacement of a deteriorated fence on the property line with 85 West End; additional arborvitae screening for that neighbor if feasible; plan revisions and certification that no disturbance will occur within 25 feet of the top of bank of the stream; and confirmation prior to building permit that no NJDEP approval is required for the new 93 square feet of coverage — or, if NJDEP requires approval, that the applicant revise plans to add on‑site stormwater management to accommodate the coverage.

The board also asked the applicant to address siding and front‑façade material comments from the Historic Preservation Committee; the applicant agreed to revise materials to horizontal siding or shingles on the front and garage side.

The board’s vote was unanimous: Malay, Steiner, Nelson, Yuko, Chifo, Feskins and Vice Chair Miriam Mazon all voted yes.

The board record shows the approval was granted as a c‑variance on the basis of the lot’s narrow width, the site topography and the presence of an existing lawful nonconforming structure. Building permits and final engineering reviews remain required, and the board retained oversight on the specified stormwater and riparian conditions.","The Summit Zoning Board of Adjustment voted 7-0 to approve a renovation and second‑story addition to a nonconforming Cape Cod at 83 West End Avenue, granting variances tied to the lot’s narrow width and steep topography and imposing conditions on stormwater, riparian setbacks and exterior materials.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Zoning board approves renovation and new two‑car garage for historic house at 31 Hobart Avenue

Board clears variance for generator and replacement A/C units at 78 Essex Road, citing minimal neighborhood impact

Summit zoning board approves renovation and second‑story addition at 83 West End with conditions