Board grants lot‑width and frontage variance for 416 North Harrison Street over one dissent

The Princeton Zoning Board of Adjustment voted Dec. 10 to grant lot‑width and lot‑frontage variances for a proposed two‑story single‑family home at 416 North Harrison Street (Block 7202, Lot 7) on a nonconforming 75‑foot lot (85 feet required).

Applicant Raimondas Grublauskas and architect Ricardo Perez said the lot is one of several undersized parcels in the neighborhood and that the proposed home, including a detached two‑car garage behind the house, aligns with surrounding development patterns. The project will retain one existing portion of the foundation rather than replace the full basement, which the team said was a cost and constructability decision.

Board members probed whether replacing the shallow existing basement would require additional variances — excavation closer to the side property line could trigger a side‑yard setback variance — and whether the notice to adjacent property owners had been adequate if additional relief were required. Staff noted the application included language authorizing other relief as necessary or appropriate but flagged that full replacement of the foundation might require additional notice if it created a new encroachment.

After discussion, the board moved to approve the variances as presented. Roll‑call results read by the clerk were: Miss Chen — Yes; Miss Colson — Yes; Mister Floyd — Yes; Miss Donna — No; Mister Dobkin — Yes; Vice Chair Shriver — Yes. The board’s majority vote approved the application subject to the standard conditions in the resolution and staff sign‑off on noticing/technical matters.