Board delays decision on Melly lot-coverage variance after lengthy review of converted garage and accessory structures

William C. R. Melly’s application for variances related to a converted garage, accessory structures and rear-yard coverage at 143 North Summit Ave. was continued to the board’s May 20 meeting after an extended review and requests for revised drawings.

Board members said the application raised multiple technical issues, including how to count decking and pavers in lot-coverage calculations, the location and construction of a shed that currently sits on 4x4 posts, an 8-foot masonry wall that appears taller than the town’s 6-foot fence limit, and whether a former garage converted to living space created a neighborhood precedent. The board asked the applicant to submit a 500-foot radius map showing nearby properties without garages and to provide revised site plans with reduced deck area so the requested rear-yard variance would be closer to the allowed 25%.

Why it matters: The application includes several zoning questions—lot coverage, accessory structure placement and…