Zoning board approves variances for new home at 48 Elm Street

The Franklin Township Zoning Board of Adjustment approved variances to allow Sereno Tropeano Jr. and Susan Quilty to demolish the existing house at 48 Elm Street and construct a new single-family home, the board said during its meeting.

The board granted relief for three C variances: a front-yard setback, increased building coverage and increased impervious surface coverage. Board staff described the applicable standards for the R-10H zone as a 25-foot front-yard setback, a 20% maximum building coverage limit and a 30% maximum impervious coverage limit. The application proposes a 13-foot front setback, 21.3% building coverage and 30.87% impervious coverage.

Board staff summarized the application, showing three-dimensional renderings and elevations to demonstrate the proposed house in context with adjacent homes and noting that the design had been reviewed by the township Historic Commission. The presentation also noted a favorable review from the D&R Canal Commission. The applicant’s architect located a two-car garage behind the proposed house at the Historic Commission’s request; that layout required a tight turning radius that the board heard is increasing impervious surface area.

Applicant Sereno Tropeano Jr. testified under oath and described the applicant response to the Historic Commission’s guidance. “This is the house we intend to live in,” Tropeano said. He told the board the project team had considered ways to reduce impervious coverage, including changing paving materials and removing some concrete, but said township practice does not treat several paver products as pervious.

Board members asked about the project’s relationship to neighboring houses and whether the proposed porch and other features matched the street pattern. Tropeano and the architect showed renderings to show scale and setbacks relative to adjacent homes; Tropeano said the porch projection aligns with many houses on the block.

With no members of the public appearing to comment, a board member moved to grant the variances as requested; the motion was seconded and passed on roll call. The minutes show the following recorded votes: Cheryl Bethea — yes; Richard Prokhanick — yes; Allen Rich — yes; Gary Rosenthal — yes; Robert Shepherd — yes; Faraz Khan — yes; Michael Daugherty — recorded earlier as unable to vote on some matters; and Chairman Robert Thomas — yes. The board recorded that several members had been excused earlier in the meeting.

The approval allows demolition of the existing structures shown on the survey, including an existing shed that the applicant said encroaches across the lot line, and construction of the new house with the garage behind it. The board’s approval incorporates the plan set and the review comments on the record. The board closed the matter after the vote.