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Board approves Mendham Road addition despite steep setback — applicant to track DEP permit-by-rule
Summary
The board approved VA-26 (25286 Mendham Road) for a one‑story addition to a carriage house with a preexisting 19-foot front setback; town staff said the project will likely proceed under DEP 'permit by rule' No. 10 and will be tracked in municipal records.
The Morris Township Board of Adjustment approved VA-26 (25286 Mendham Road) on March 23, authorizing a one‑story addition and a covered rear entry to an existing carriage house that has a preexisting front‑yard setback of 19 feet where the zone’s requirement is larger.
An architect for the applicant described the work as modest and sensitive to the building’s historic character, saying the addition is largely concealed by trees and a high grade and will preserve the scale and materials consistent with the carriage‑house aesthetic. The application package included photographs, floor plans and elevations showing the proposed covered entry and a small kitchen addition.
Town staff and an environmental consultant discussed on‑site wetlands and hydrologic connections to the Whippany/Whitney River system. The consultant advised that the proposed disturbance would likely fall under New Jersey DEP ‘permit‑by‑rule’ No. 10 (small construction activities in riparian areas) rather than requiring a full DEP permit; the board noted the applicant will need to track that permit‑by‑rule documentation and include a copy in the municipal file.
After board questions and a brief public‑question period in which no members of the public raised objections, a board member moved to approve the application on its merits; the motion was seconded and carried on a roll‑call vote.
