Land Use Board approves merge of three Lakeside lots, grants reduced height variance

The Hopatcong Land Use Board on Jan. 14 approved an application to merge three existing Lakeside Boulevard lots and grant a reduced height variance so the applicant can build a single-family house.

The decision approves the consolidation of three undersized summer-bungalow lots into a single 7,500-square-foot parcel (75 feet by 100 feet) in the borough's R-1 zone and allows the owner to proceed with a four-bedroom home. The board approved the application after the applicant agreed at the meeting to reduce the originally requested 18-inch height variance to a 9-inch variance.

The vote followed testimony by the applicant’s representative, Vern Heffley, and the project engineer, Thomas (Tom) Graham, who presented a site plan showing removal of three dilapidated bungalows, reduced impervious surface compared with the prior development, a single paved parking area and a septic field behind the new house. The plan calls for retaining the lot as one driveway rather than the three separate driveways that previously served the bungalows; the engineer said that reduces vehicle backing maneuvers onto County Route 609 (Lakeside Boulevard) and is a traffic-safety improvement over the prior layout.

Nut graf: The board concluded the project overall improves the…