The Kenilworth Planning Board on Dec. 10 approved Application 24009, filed by homeowner Eric Chavez of 61 South North 19th Street, permitting a side addition that attaches an existing garage to the house, adds a bedroom above the garage, expands the master suite and constructs a covered front porch.

The board’s approval was contingent on several conditions negotiated during the public hearing. Chairman (identified in the record as the meeting chair) summarized those conditions before the vote: the driveway must be widened to allow two side‑by‑side 9‑foot parking spaces (an 18‑foot driveway) with an additional 1‑foot offset measured from the southern property line, the applicant must remove the existing pool and pergola and provide that the basement not be used as a bedroom unless the applicant returns to the board for further review. The board also required the applicant to contact the utility company about a nearby pole and provide evidence of that contact, and to re‑side the house so the addition is consistent with the remainder of the dwelling.

Why it matters: Board members said the conditions strike a balance between easing a long-standing nonconformity and protecting neighborhood character. Planning staff and the board’s consultant noted that removing the detached garage and in-ground pool would reduce impervious cover while the proposed footprint and additional living area modestly increase floor area. That reduction in impervious surface helped the board find the trade-offs acceptable.

Discussion and evidence: Chavez described the work as needed for his growing family and to improve how the house engages the street. "The covered porch provides weather protection at the front entrance, making the home safer and more usable during the rain and snow," Chavez said during his testimony. Planners reviewed numbered comments in their reports and confirmed the changes would reduce overall impervious area once the detached garage and pool are removed.

Parking and code issues were central to debate. Planning staff and members flagged that a five‑bedroom house typically requires three parking spaces under RSIS/borough guidance. The existing paved driveway measured 14.85 feet, which would be insufficient for two side‑by‑side 9‑foot spaces; the board therefore made driveway widening a condition to avoid requiring a parking variance. Board members also contested whether a framed basement room with a window and closet should be classified as a bedroom for parking calculations; the board resolved that it would not be used as a bedroom under the approval unless specifically returned to the board.

Vote and next steps: Mayor Karlovich moved approval and mister Grimaldi seconded. A roll-call vote showed the members present in favor and the board approved the application with the stated conditions. The applicant must complete the required conditions — driveway work, pool removal, siding consistency and documentation of contact with the utility provider — before receiving final sign-off or a certificate of occupancy.

The board concluded the hearing by congratulating the applicant and offering holiday wishes before adjourning.