Cranford ZBA approves Hillcrest porch after applicant agrees to remove rear hardscape, grant parking exception

The Cranford Zoning Board of Adjustment approved a variance Tuesday for a covered front porch at 144 Hillcrest Avenue, permitting the applicant to exceed local limits on impervious surface and building coverage so long as the applicant removes specified hardscape and the board grants an exception to the Residential Site Improvement Standards parking requirements.

The board’s approval followed testimony from applicant John Lipp, who said the project will add an 84-square-foot covered porch and that he would remove roughly 298–300 square feet of asphalt in the backyard to offset the added impervious surface. Lipp told the board he had calculated the site’s current impervious coverage as 56.5%, which would rise to about 58% with the porch but would fall to 52.2% after removing the rear hardscape; the township engineer later estimated further removal could reduce total impervious coverage to roughly 44.5%.

The variance matter drew several neighborhood questions about flooding and drainage. Neighbor Gene Sautner said he was “just really worried about the water,” describing occasional street flooding on Hillcrest. Another neighbor suggested using pervious pavers; the board’s engineer said removing the unused portion of driveway would have a similar or larger benefit and that the applicant’s plan to replace asphalt with grass or other pervious surface would reduce impervious coverage and improve stormwater compliance.

The board also considered parking impacts. Board testimony noted removing the rear driveway and the connection to the detached garage would eliminate two off-street parking spaces, leaving a single usable on-site parking space; the board agreed to include an RSIS exception (a local waiver of the Residential Site Improvement Standards) as a condition of approval.

After deliberations in which members said the applicant had responded constructively to professional and neighborhood concerns, the board voted to approve the application with conditions requiring removal of the rear hardscape described in testimony (the asphalt area behind the house and a narrow backyard walkway), that stormwater/impervious calculations be confirmed with township staff, and that an RSIS parking exception be granted. The roll-call vote was unanimous among participating members.

The applicant and the board’s professionals will finalize the exact impervious-area calculations and the wording of the parking exception as part of final permit processing; the board noted the applicant will work with the township engineer to confirm final elevations, drainage connections and whether pervious pavers or simple grass planting will be used.

The application record lists the request as ZBA24-009 (John Lipp & Jennifer Holland, 144 Hillcrest Ave., block 411, lot 13).