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Morris Township board approves Denied‑to‑conforming house addition after engineer clarifies setbacks and garage condition
Summary
The board approved an application by Italia Castillo and Nicholas Colonna to enclose a rear porch (73 sq ft) and add a second story on an undersized lot, with a condition allowing the existing garage to remain only unless rebuilt.
The Morris Township board on Nov. 25 approved application P‑8‑15‑24, allowing homeowners Italia Castillo and Nicholas Colonna to enclose an existing 73‑square‑foot rear porch and build a small second‑story addition within existing setbacks on Western Avenue.
The engineer, Nicholas Colonna, explained the design and testified he is a New Jersey‑licensed structural engineer. He said the work mainly squares off the dining room to create more open space and adds a small en suite bathroom upstairs while converting a total of 73 square feet of porch into interior area: “It is a total of 73 square feet, which we're converting from the porch to a part of the enclosed part of the new home,” he said.
Board members pressed for precise measurements because the lot is undersized; the engineer and board agreed the existing lot is about 7,854 square feet compared with a required 11,250 square feet, making it roughly 30% undersized. To avoid inadvertent encroachment, the board and applicant agreed to adopt a conservative 5.4‑foot side‑yard dimension for the application record.
The board also discussed an existing garage that violates setback lines. The board approved a condition that the garage may remain but, if the garage is destroyed or removed, the owner must obtain a variance or relocate the garage and return to the board. With the public portion closed, a motion to approve the application as modified was made and passed by roll call. The applicant was told a memorializing resolution will be prepared for the next meeting.
What’s next: The applicant will receive a written resolution reflecting the board’s conditions and may proceed with required permits and building permits consistent with that memorialization.
