Cranford ZBA tables Hajjar homeowners' request for rear-yard deck after property-line survey dispute

Nicholas and Christine Hajjar asked the Cranford Zoning Board of Adjustment on May 26 for variances to build a 21-by-16-foot wood deck attached to the rear of their home at 225 Cranford Avenue, but the board tabled the application after a neighboring property owner said her survey shows a different rear property line.

The Hajjars, who said they moved into the house nearly two years ago and have a 10‑year‑old daughter, told the board they want a deck so outdoor furniture and family activities are not forced onto wet lawn or steps. Architect Arthur Henn testified the property is undersized for the R‑4 zone (the lot is about 5,000 square feet where 6,000 is required) and that the proposed deck triggers two variances: building coverage and a rear‑yard setback. “The deck is gonna require 2 variances,” Henn said, and described the deck as “a modest size” that would improve access and usability without “a negative impact on the neighborhood.”

The site engineer and Hajjar testified the proposed deck would increase building coverage from an existing roughly 29.9 percent (about 1,496…